Firefly
by dragonfly76
Summary: He called her firefly, saying she was the flame that lit his soul, never understanding that he was the spark. All Human, WWII Romance.
1. Prologue

**Beta/Pre-Readers:** _Shadowlynx/MP & Mist_

**In Progress**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the**** property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

watch?v=iX9Kwd542xk

_He called her Firefly, saying she was the flame that lit his soul, never understanding he was the spark._

Memories passed through her mind while the images flickered on the screen across the room. Photographs from a different time. A time when they were young, their history not yet written, when the uncertainty of war hung over their heads like a dark cloud.

Their lives had always been connected. They were children together, friends and then lovers.

Watching him from across the room, standing next to the band that played, Bella saw not the wrinkled old man who had reached the sunset of his life. Instead, Jacob was to her an eternal soul who brought peace and joy to her life. His once jet black hair had grayed, but his life had enough color to paint the sunrise.

A smile graced her once beautiful face, now faded with the slow passage of time. Fifty years had gone by since they pledged their lives to each other. Those years blessing them with sorrow, laughter, children and grandchildren.

Those they held dear had gathered today, celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary, honoring the life that she and Jacob had built together. Long standing friends, distant family members. Still, she only had eyes for him.

Bella watched her husband whisper to the bandleader, then turned in her direction with a smile.

Sweet notes of a long forgotten memory filled the air. The crowd of guests parted as Jacob made his way to her. After all these years, he still remembered the first song they had danced to.

Holding out his hand to her, Jacob looked at her with as much love and devotion as he did on the day they married.

"May I have this dance?"

Jacob's strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her body as closely as he did her heart. There was no other man who had ever caught her eye. For as long as she could remember, there was only him.

_Imagine me with my head on your shoulder _

_And you with your lips getting bolder _

_A sky full of moon and a sweet mellow tune _

_I'll buy that dream _

Their story had unfolded naturally. Interrupted only by the anger of men millions of miles away. They completed each others souls, two pieces of the same puzzle.

_Imagine me eighty three wearing glasses _

_And you ninety two making passes _

_It doesn't sound bad, and if it can be had _

_I'll buy that dream _

Closing her eyes, she lost herself to the music. Immersing herself in the memory of a dance years ago. When their love story had only just begun.


	2. Chapter 1

watch?v=j6TmogXhOZ8

It was 1943 and the world was out of control. The United States had declared war on its enemies, joining the allies in the fight for good to prevail over evil. Somewhere in Germany, the wicked posed as Gods among men, deciding over glasses of French champagne who would live and who would die. Pouring over maps, ordering invasions and executions with the crook of their fingers in a sadistic game of chess.

Battles raged while mothers around the world wept as the blood of their sons stained the once beautiful soil of the earth. Fathers mourned, children cried.

In a tiny outpost of England, boys who had donned their uniforms out of necessity and patriotism became men by acts of honor and bravery. Their planes waged war from blue skies, raining bombs and bullets in the name of justice.

There, in that small corner of the world, Isabella Swan was about to face her fears.

Cheers were erupting from the waiting audience. Backstage was a flurry of excitement as performers rushed to get ready for their acts. The air was thick with patriotism. Those boys out there were putting themselves in front of bullets to save innocent souls. Everyone wanted to make them happy. Everyone except one...

Bella paced around the cramped space of her dressing area wondering how she got talked into this. Sure, she was a good singer, at home doing the dishes and in the church choir. She'd even sang a few times for war bond drives. This though, performing before all these people?

"I could kill Betty for volunteering me for this!" she muttered. "I don't belong here!"

Just hours earlier she had been unpacking her bag, thinking about the next two weeks in the hospital, wondering when and if she'd get to see any of the countryside. Then one of the performers got sick. Sore throat, unable to sing. Her friend Betty, who volunteered with her at the hospital back home, immediately sold her out to the director. Bella wanted to strangle her. Of course, she couldn't say no. They never even gave her the chance. She'd been railroaded into it faster than she could bat an eye. The next thing she knew, her best dress was being steamed for wrinkles and she was whisked away to a rehearsal.

That was how Bella Swan, nineteen years old, Red Cross Nurse, small town gal, ended up pacing the backstage area like a caged animal ready to run.

_I can't do it_, she thought. _I'm a nurse! I didn't sign up for this!_

Butterflies assaulted her stomach. Her nerves nearly shot. She was seriously contemplating bolting and seeking out the closest exit route when it all crashed down on her.

"Bella, you're up next. Stage left, honey, just like we rehearsed." The stage directors voice startled her back into reality. There was no escape.

She froze. Her feet had turned into lead weights. Suddenly, it was if she were swimming under water. The sounds around her muffled, her vision clouded. Bella gasped for air. Then, a hand was on her back, guiding her through the melee to the side of the stage.

Gathering all of her courage, she waited patiently for her cue. _I have to do this. I owe this to __to __my friends._ Closing her eyes, she thought of home, the boys she'd played with as children now fighting somewhere in this war. She thought of the soldiers who were shipped back, whose wounds she tended in the Red Cross hospitals. _I owe this to them_.

She moved mechanically out to center stage. Years later she tried to recall the jokes the MC made, what her responses were. The only thing that stood out in her mind was fear. Her heart thudded out of control. A thousand eyes were upon her, giving her no pause to stop and think.

Suddenly, she was alone. The cavernous hangar serving as a venue for the U.S.O. plunged into darkness. A glaring spotlight shone brightly, bathing her in light. A sweet melody flowed on the summer breeze. Closing her eyes, Bella allowed herself to become one with the music. Glossy red lips parted. Words painted a vision across the night sky.

_Stars shining bright above you_

_night breezes seem to whisper I love you_

_birds singing in the sycamore tree_

_Dream a little dream of me_

Lost in her own dreams, she forgot all of her fears. The world had contracted. There were no eyes upon her, no soldiers to impress. There was only her and the music, alone on the stage.

The final notes wavered in the air like a haze of heat on a hot summer day. Opening her eyes, she saw once more the brave men in uniform as they burst forth in applause. Bella blushed, waiting patiently for it to end. Amid the noise were shouts begging for just one more. She smiled nervously, turning to leave the stage.

It was then that familiar voices from her past echoed loudly over the din, "Bella! Bells! Bells!"

She stopped in her tracks, breath caught in her throat. It was a name she had not heard in four long years. The voices were of home, of lazy summer days spent swimming in the lake, playing in the trees, of boys who left long ago, gloriously swearing to fight with honor, to die for victory.

Holding a hand over her eyes to shield them from the light, she saw three handsome young soldiers racing towards her. Bella's heart leapt with joy upon recognizing their faces. Tears of happiness flowed from her eyes as laughter erupted from her throat.

Strong arms enveloped her, lifting her off her feet, spinning her around until she was dizzy with glee.

"Paul! Put me down!" she cried, smiling amid tears and applause.

The handsome soldier held her out at arm's length, looking her over, wondering what had happened to the little girl he once knew. "It's good to see you, Bells."

"Let me at her!" The deep voice of Embry Call rumbled over the noise of the audience, and soon he too had her in a warm embrace, as if by holding her, he was holding onto home. "Bells, babygirl! What are you doing here?"

Before she could answer, another voice from her past floated in the air. Smooth as velvet, rich like wine. "Alright, you two had your turn. Let me see our girl."

Just like that, she came face to face with the boy she once knew. He no longer resembled the lanky teenager who had left Washington three years ago. Time and war had stolen his innocence. In his stead was a man, tall, rugged and devilishly handsome. The pilots uniform he wore, somehow an extension of him. As if he wore the uniform instead of it wearing him.

The angles of his face were more prominent now. The roundness of childhood had been left behind, replaced by a strong jaw, high cheekbones and the hint of creases on his forehead, hidden by the pilots cap that sat slightly crooked over his once long black hair.

Looking into his grey eyes, she saw both the glimmer of laughter the somber child, the boy who both teased and protected her.

Then, he smiled. A trademark grin she would know anywhere. One that bubbled up, lighting him from the inside out, infectious and endearing.

Finding herself in his arms, Bella felt the world slip away. Her heart fluttered with excitement, the low rumble of his voice warming her soul when he breathed into her ear. "I've missed you, Bells. Oh, how I've missed you."


	3. Chapter 2

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS5oCLXrQLs&feature=related

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P0hG3sD0-E&feature=related

Couples danced across the floor, brightly colored skirts flying, shiny boots tapping in time to the music. The hall was packed with handsome soldiers and no shortage of ladies to dance with. Swing was king and champagne flowed like water. In a world where no one knew if they would survive the coming week, this small club was a lively oasis of self-indulgence and preservation amid the worldwide preoccupation of war.

Bella wasn't oblivious to the stares she received when she walked in with her arms linked between two handsome soldiers or to the glares of other women when the third pulled out a chair for her. Just as the three boys were well aware of the eyes on the pretty woman they called family.

Each had been amazed at the change of the small creature who sat with them. Three years ago they had left behind a shy tomboy in pigtails, sporting patched knees and budding breasts. In her place was a woman whose beauty was only eclipsed by the goodness of her soul.

They might not have recognized her at all, except for one thing. It was the song that lived in their hearts, the one that she sang so many times before with the old wooden radio they carted everywhere. Standing on that stage, she startled them from the thoughts of strategy and warfare that were a constant in their minds, transporting each of them back in time. The sweetness of her voice lingered on their air, reminding them of home, a thousand memories of summer sun and chasing fireflies in the dusky Washington twilight.

Jacob couldn't help but glare when Paul seated himself next to Bella, casually tossing an arm over her tiny shoulders, squeezing her whenever he felt like it. Then with a wink of his eye, Paul leaned closer to her, kissing her swiftly on the cheek. Even if Bella thought nothing of it, that he was only showing her brotherly affection, Jacob knew better. Paul was a good man, and one hell of a pilot. More than that, Jacob trusted him with his life. Trusting him with Bella was a whole 'nother matter.

Jacob shifted in his seat, a hard look settling over his face. What he really wanted to do was leap across the table, clock him one and wipe that cocky smirk off his face.

Embry noticed the change in Jacob's demeanor. He too was protective of the young woman. _Hell, she's family_, he thought to himself. But the bond that Jacob and Bella shared ran deeper than the ocean. Embry shook his head, irritated with Paul. _Ass should know better than to pull that shit. She's not the flavor of the week like the other women he's been known to pick up everywhere we go. _

Resolved to diffuse the situation before it could get out of control, he turned all of his attention on her. "Bella, honey," Embry leaned over the table, taking one of her small hands in his. "It's so good to see you, babygirl. But, you haven't told us what you're doing here yet."

Her laugh bubbled up like a fountain, realizing that he was right. They'd been so consumed in news of home on the short walk over she hadn't actually said how she'd ended up in this little outpost of England. "I'm a volunteer nurse for the Red Cross here on rotation." She raised an eyebrow at the three good-looking men. "Seems a few of the permanent staff have fallen head over heels for some of you flyboys and ran off to get married."

Paul leaned back in his chair, laughing heartily. It was a common tale in every corner of the world. "Well, no dame can resist a man in uniform, Bells."

She smacked him playfully on the chest, shaking her head in mock annoyance. Paul had always liked to joke, and he'd always been a ladies man. Even as a little kid. It didn't help his case that he was good-looking to boot. Too much so for his own, and the general female populations good.

He rubbed his chest where her tiny blow had landed. "Ow! What was that for, girl?"

"She just knows you, Paul." Jacob grinned crookedly, trying to hide his satisfaction. He knew for a fact that there was a trail of broken hearts from here to Timbuktu thanks to Paul Lahote. He was right in a way though. Glancing out on the dance floor, women were shamelessly draping themselves all over their partners. One thing the war had done was make for good romance.

"Hey, it's not my fault the ladies love me!" Paul tossed a peanut across the table at his buddy, who caught it in his palm, then winked at Bella.

Embry smiled wickedly. "Yeah, you're the original drugstore cowboy, Paul," he said, certain it would do nothing to bruise his buddy's ego.

"So, how 'bout a stroll on dance floor, sweetheart? I promise not to bruise those cute little tootsies of yours." Embry stood from his seat, offering his hand to Bella who took it and quickly linked her arm in his, unable to resist the handsome, tender-hearted man in front of her.

"Why, I'd just love to, Officer Call," she replied, allowing him to lead her into the throng of couples swaying on the floor.

Jacob watched the two of them through narrowed eyes while Paul watched him with some confusion. "What's with you tonight, man? I thought you'd be glad to see Bella."

He shrugged his wide shoulders and took a swig of his beer. "I don't know what you mean, Paul. I am glad to see her."

Paul crossed his arms over his chest, muscles tightening, eyeballing Jacob. "Then why are you looking at her and Embry like they're a damn Nazi target?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and looked at Paul pointedly. "Just making sure you two fools don't get handsy with our girl."

Paul wisely said nothing more. It was obvious to almost anyone who could see it. Jake didn't know what to make of the new Bella. He looked at her possessively, and if Paul were placing bets, he'd put his money on one more flyboy being taken off the market by morning. There was only one way this story was going to end. With a ring on someone's finger before the week was out. He wondered how long it would take Jake to figure it out.

"She's changed," remarked Jacob, never once taking his eyes off of Bella.

"She's beautiful," replied Paul, choosing his words carefully to avoid a punch to the jaw later. "You didn't really expect her to stay the same kid we left behind in Washington, did you?"

Jacob didn't reply. In fact, he didn't say another word. Instead he continued to watch Bella, flushed and happy in Embry's arms. It didn't seem possible that she was the same girl they'd grown up with. Gone was the awkward youth. In her place was a graceful woman who had captured the hearts of a thousand soldiers tonight with the sound of her voice.

Jacob couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Long brown locks flowed over milk white shoulders spilling over a silky blue dress that swirled with the music. Soft lights shone from above, setting off the creaminess of her skin. Her cheeks were stained pink in excitement and her eyes twinkled with unabashed merriment.

The melody shifted, changing into slower, gentler notes. Jacob watched as Embry pulledl Bella closer to his chest, one strong arm wrapping tightly around her waist, slowly swaying in time with the music.

Jealousy sliced through his heart like a hot knife.

"I need a drink." Jacob stood up abruptly, knocking his rickety chair over in the process.

"That's not all you need," Paul muttered under his breath. Jacob looked positively mutinous. If he didn't throw his arms around that sweet thing soon, he'd be a pain in the ass to live with. _I need another drink if I'm going to put up with his sorry behind_, he thought, then called at Jacob's retreating back. "Hey, get me a shot of whiskey!"

Jacob Black lounged against the curving bar, downing his bourbon, then throwing back Paul's too, all the while wrestling with his feelings of jealousy and shame. He'd known Bella since childhood. Their fathers had been best friends for as far back as he could remember. She was like his sister, but the second she stepped foot on that stage tonight, before he'd even known it was her... he'd been a goner.

Closing his eyes, he saw her again, a demure expression on her face, lost in the music. She looked like the madonna bathed in the warm golden glow of the spotlight. In that second, he knew she was everything he'd ever wanted, everything he'd ever dreamed or hoped for and he wanted to be the only man for her.

This god-forsaken war placed them an ocean apart. He wanted her, no doubt about it, but he was a pilot. Each time he went up in the air, there was a chance he'd never come home. Could he do that to her?

"Another whiskey, soldier?" The bartender startled him from his thoughts.

Jacob ignored him, instead keeping his eyes glued on his best friend and Bella, wondering what Embry was whispering in her ear to make her giggle. Suddenly, he couldn't take it anymore. Jacob pushed off the bar, weaving his way between the dancing couples.

Tapping Embry on the shoulder, he spoke low and quiet. "Can I cut in?" Embry shrugged his wide shoulders and smiled, twirling Bella into Jacob's waiting arms.

He could scarcely breathe, the feeling of her so close to him was intoxicating. The scent of lavender clung to her hair. Pulling her more tightly to his chest, Jacob cradled her hand close to his heart. As if by doing so she would take it to keep for her very own.

Smiling, he looked into her eyes with unabashed joy. "I don't think I knew how much I missed you, Bells, until I saw you on that stage tonight."

Mentally cringing with the embarrassment of actually having been on stage and the center of attention, she exclaimed, "I was so scared! I don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon."

She blushed so prettily that he wanted to kiss her cheeks and wondered what else he could say or do to keep that look on her face. "You should, you know," he told her, his usually light-hearted voice full of unchecked emotion. Jacob's heart beat rapidly, watching her long, dark lashes flutter nervously under his gaze, unsure of what to say or do in his arms.

"You always were a little canary," he teased, thinking she looked more like a snowy dove against an evening sky. It was then that she relaxed, the easy rhythm of their friendship rising to the surface.

"When did you get stationed here?" she asked. "The last I heard from your dad you were in New Zealand."

"About a month ago. I wrote him a couple weeks back. Letter is probably just getting there." Jacob frowned at the slow pace it took the news to reach home, then asked the question that had been on his mind since the moment he laid eyes on her. "How long are you here for, Bells?"

"Two weeks. Then it's back to Washington and the hospital there." Noticing the hint of sadness that crept over her face, he wondered just what it had been like for her, seeing the men who had been shipped back home, bodies mangled, no more than a shell of what they had been before the war.

_Two weeks_, he thought, then pulled her closer to him. Both became quiet, trying desperately not to think about the wounded or of the possibility that he too could end up in one of those hospitals... or worse.

They danced in silence, letting the music wash over their bodies like a warm wave. Something was stirring between them, a longing between two souls whose lives had intertwined for as long as they could remember. Catching her eyes, Jacob could see the words of the song reflected back at him. A lifetime of memories not yet lived.

_Imagine me on our first anniversary _

_With someone like you in the nursery _

_Oh, it doesn't sound bad _

_And if it can be had _

_I'll buy that dream_

He itched to kiss her, to press her pink lips to his. To whisper words of adoration in her ear. His heart beat wildly with a thousand promises. _If only..._

Then the music ended, the magic of the moment suddenly lost to the thundering applause that surrounded them. Bella broke from his arms, clapping along with the rest of the dancers, leaving him feeling bereft and aching to touch her again. Reaching for her hand, Jacob smiled wanly, reluctantly leading her back to their table.

The night wore on with the clinking of glasses and laughter between old friends. Embry and Paul found willing girls to dance with, abandoning the other two for more flirtatious pursuits. If Bella was disappointed by their desertion, she never showed it. Jacob kept her talking about home, their families, long ago days of fishing alongside their fathers and skipping stones across still mountain lakes.

Bella felt giddy with happiness, her senses intoxicated by the nearness of her best friend after so many years. She glowed outwardly, the adrenaline of performing earlier in the night had fueled her vitality, accentuating her natural beauty.

To everyone who saw them, they appeared to be friends, old acquaintances who were perhaps only catching up on each others lives and then would go their separate ways at evening's end. Yet, glancing at the two, Embry and Paul saw what others did not. A lifelong commitment years in the making.

More than once a cocky flyboy in uniform tried to approach their table, hopelessly caught up in the charm of her bright smile. Each one shot with a look of such fury that it was quickly made known, the young lady was strictly hands off. It wasn't only because Jacob was already falling in love with her. It was the same reaction he would have had at home had he been there. Bella was family. He protected his own. A rule that had served him well since he enlisted.

Finally the excitement of the day began to catch up with her. Bella found herself trying desperately to stifle a yawn. She didn't want the evening to end. Not now, not ever.

Jacob noticed. "Tired?" he questioned.

She laughed lightly. "I suppose I am. It's been a really long day. I should get back."

He stood and held out his hand to her. "I'll walk you."

Bella gladly took his hand, then linked her arm in his. Waving goodbye to their friends, they hastened out the door and into the dark night.

A thousand stars lit the sky, the moonlight illuminating their path homeward. Feeling a little high flown from the champagne, she shivered at the sensation of the cool night air and the eerie calm surrounding them. There was no sign of life anywhere.

Jacob paused, then took off his jacket, placing it gently around her shoulders. "It takes some getting used to." His warm hands rubbed at her arms. "Blackout regulations. Don't want to give the enemy a chance to see their target." He smiled reassuringly, unable to resist brushing one pink cheek with his hand. "You'll get used to it."

The tenderness of his touch comforted her, calming her heart and mind. Suddenly, the darkness enveloping them didn't seem so frightening. Instead, it was as if it was an old friend, cradling her safely in its arms.

They strolled leisurely, soaking in the moonlit night, until all too soon the still figures of planes loomed ominously in the distance. Glancing out at the airfield, she was suddenly curious. "Is yours out there?"

"It is."

"Can I see it sometime?" she asked hesitantly, unsure of why or what she was really asking of him.

Jacob faltered for a second, startled that she would want to. "Sure," he replied, keeping his tone even and smooth.

They continued on in silence, a natural pattern of their lives together. They had known each other since they were children. There was never a moment of discomfort in the quiet. Instead it was a sign of old friends who didn't need words to express the happiness or comfort they felt just by being near each other. Their gestures, the way she sleepily leaned against his body, the arm he placed so tenderly around her shoulders, spoke volumes when words could not.

He kissed her on the cheek that night when he bade her goodbye, each reaching out for the others arms, wrapping themselves in a hug so tight, it was as if they feared the night had only been naught but a dream. That in the morning they'd wake to find their lives separate once more.

Finally letting her go, Jacob watched her retreat inside, his heart skipping a beat when she glanced over her shoulder, a sleepy demure smile on her face. "See you tomorrow."

It wasn't a question. Wherever she would be, he would follow.


	4. Chapter 3

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPppZQhyC9o&feature=related

Bella laid in her bed that night, thinking of the last time she saw Jacob Black. It was the day he, Paul and Embry had departed for the war three long years ago. Each of them dressed handsomely in their newly issued uniforms, standing on the platform of the train station saying goodbye to their families. She had been a fifteen-year-old girl then, clad in overalls, her dark hair pulled into braids that fell over her shoulders. Awkward and afraid that she'd never see the boys she had come to view as brothers ever again.

Jacob had been her best friend, despite the difference in their ages. Sure he was older, but he was like her big brother, always protecting her from the teasing kids, her own clumsiness and her shy personality. They understood each other, both having lost their mothers at a young age. It was a bond they shared, the pain derived from loss and loneliness, the envy of seeing other kids whose mothers kissed their skinned knees at the park or greeted them with warm cookies and milk after school.

Their fathers had been best friends and fishing buddies for years before either child was born. When their wives died, the two men retreated to the lake, often leaving Jacob and Bella to find their own entertainment while they fished from a rickety old canoe in the middle of nowhere. There was hardly a memory in Bella's life that did not contain Jacob Black somewhere in it. He was always there, smiling in the background, taking her small hand in his, shouting for her to follow him as they chased through fields in the fading summer sun, catching fireflies that shone more brightly than the stars in the sky.

She could still hear his voice, tearing off into the tall grass with an old mason jar grasped tightly in his hands. "Come on, Bells, let's catch a million tonight!"

The day they'd left to fight a war they hadn't seen, each of the men wrapped her in a hug goodbye, but none so tightly as Jacob. He took a piece of her heart with him that day, leaving her to wonder how she'd survive in a world without him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and though she fought to keep them back, they started to trickle down her cheeks in a childish display of emotion.

He wiped them them away, then cradled her face gently in his hands, his big brown eyes gazing down at her with reassurance. "Don't worry, Bells. You won't lose me. I'll come back."

Without words, he knew her greatest fear, because he feared it too.

The train had begun to pull away from the station and with one last hug goodbye, Jacob ran to catch up. Standing at the back of the train, waving and smiling he looked at her one last time and shouted his parting words. "Bells! Catch a million for me while I'm gone!"

The first weeks without him were the hardest. There was no address for any of them yet, none of them knew what God-forsaken part of Europe they would be headed to. Months dragged by with no word. When letters did come, they were outdated before they could be opened. The boys all wrote to her occasionally, but the details were sparse. What could you say about being in a place where men killed each other over senseless acts of aggression and hatred?

Time marched on and so did she. In the intervening years Bella had blossomed, becoming a self-assured woman. She was the dutiful daughter, taking care of her father and Jacob's too. Making sure each had a hot meal and clean home. She collected scrap metal, tended their victory garden, painted seams on her legs when nylons became a luxury, sold war bonds and saved ration stamps. The day after graduation she signed up with the Red Cross and began nursing the wounded soldiers shipped back to families who mourned their son's loss of innocence. In the hospital she'd learned that there was no glory to war, only the needless suffering around the world because of leaders who lacked common sense. Hitler, The Third Reich and the bombing of Pearl Harbor were anathema to her soul, magnified ten-fold whenever a wounded soldier died in her arms.

War raged on the other side of the world while she did her best to persevere, determined to do fulfill her patriotic duty. To make her boys proud. Postcards and letters came infrequently, the men often unable to get a letter out due to government restrictions or casualty zones. In all that time she had carried on, but each night fell to her knees, praying for God to bring them all,_ to bring Jacob_, safely back to her.

Now here she was, a million miles from home, reunited with her boys by stroke of luck or some divine intervention. Her heart was full and for the first time in three long years, she'd found the missing piece.

Seeing the three of them tonight had been like something out of a dream. They had changed in three years. No longer the boys that had left. Time and war had turned them into men. _Good looking ones at that_, she mused.

Nothing could have prepared her for Jacob though. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. When he smiled at her, the entire room fell away. When he looked into her eyes, the whole world disappeared. They were just two kids again, running through the fields, catching fireflies.

Tonight when he held her in his arms, dancing to the music, her heart skipped a beat, swelling with an unfamiliar emotion. Love. Unconditional love. The way a woman would love a man.

Sighing heavily, she buried her her head in her pillow. _I'm being ridiculous_, she told herself. _Jacob sees me as his little sister. Nothing more!_

Turning in her bed, Bella closed her eyes, allowing sleep to claim her. Hoping that maybe someday, he would see her in the same way.

What seemed like only minutes later, Bella was jolted awake from her peaceful dreams by the small body that had thrown herself on her bed.

"Wake up, sleepyhead! Time to wake up!" Betty bounced around, doing her best to pull her friend out of her sleep-induced state.

"No. I don't wanna." Bella pulled the pillow over her face, shielding herself from the early morning rays of light streaming through the open window.

"It's not my fault you're such an owl!" Betty laughed loudly, a little too loudly for someone who was up at six in the morning, and way too loudly for Bella who was nursing a bit of a champagne hangover.

"I missed your song last night, but a little birdie told me that three handsome guys rushed the stage and kidnapped you. If you don't wake up right this second and tell me all about it, I'm going to dump a pan of cold water over you, Miss. Swan!" threatened Betty.

Bella groaned, cracking any eye open to see Betty already dressed and ready to go. Her straw colored hair neatly braided and tucked under a Red Cross cap. "You're horrible!" she whined. "How can you be so damn happy this early?"

"Because, we're on a base in England surrounded by hundreds of good-looking eligible men in uniform," she replied quite nonchalantly. "Now get your little butt up and get ready to go. We've got to be at the hospital in half an hour. You can tell me all about last night while you get dressed."

"Fine." Bella swung her legs over the bed, then stalked off to the bathroom. She scowled at her reflection in the mirror while yanking a brush through the knots in her long hair. _I look like the wrath of God_, she thought, seeing the bruise-like shadows under her eyes. Internally she crossed her fingers, hoping that maybe she'd be able to get a nap later that afternoon. Their shift wouldn't be a long one today. Just orientation and a few rounds.

Ten minutes and two aspirin later, she emerged from the bathroom, teeth brushed, face washed and hair pulled into a sleek bun fastened at the nape of her neck.

Betty handed her a steaming mug of coffee, waiting patiently for her to give up the details of the previous night. Bella wasn't sure why, but she wasn't ready to share much yet. It all felt too close, too surreal. She wanted to turn it all over in her mind, savor it just a bit more before sharing it with the world. _Not like there's much to share, _she mused, her thoughts lingering on Jacob's handsome face when he told her goodbye last night.

Gratefully inhaling the fragrant aroma, she let the liquid warm her from the inside out. The thought of Jacob's hands warming her arms outside the club the same way crossed her mind. Glancing at the time, she quickly pinned on her cap and donned her shoes. "I'm ready," she announced.

It was only a short walk to the big old brick building that had been converted into a military hospital. Bella was grateful. Betty had been unusually silent, though she could tell that curiosity was eating away at her. Just as they turned up the walk, Bella opened her mouth. "I was out with some old friends last night. They were the ones who ran up to the stage. Embry, Paul and Jacob."

Almost tripping when Betty grabbed her arm, stopping both in their tracks, she shrugged her shoulders, "What?"

"Seriously Bella?" Betty looked at her in shock. "Jacob Black. You run into the three guys you grew up with, one of which is your best friend and you talk, non-stop about... "

"I do not talk about him that much! I hardly talk about any of them!" Bella blushed furiously, while her friend just raised her eyebrows at her. "Ok, fine, I talk about them!" she confessed. "They're all like family to me. Of course, I talk about them. I grew up with those three goons."

"Uh huh. You've also shown me their pictures, Bella. They're gorgeous. Especially Jacob," she emphasized. "I don't suppose any of them are single?"

_Not after last night_, Bella thought, immediately protective of all her boys- even Paul, the original lady killer. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, she gave in. "Fine. I'll introduce you. Now, can we please get inside before we're late?"

Grinning wickedly, Betty sailed past her with a spring in her step. Bella shook her head and followed her inside, where life, death and duty awaited.

Four hours later, after spending the morning listening to the crabby head nurse warn them about the dangers of philandering with the soldiers and learning the rounds, the newbies were released for the day. Though, not before a final warning from Milly reminding them that loose lips sink ships and only floozies frequent gin mills alone.

Betty shook like she had a case of the screaming meemies, forcing Bella to elbow her hard in the ribs before the girls collapsed into a fit of laughter. They all but ran for the door. Once outside, both burst into a severe case of the giggles. "Did you see the look on her face!" exclaimed Betty "She's a regular Mrs. Grundy!" Bella was nearly doubled over by the hilarity of the situation.

"She looks like she drinks vinegar instead of tea," laughed Bella, thinking of Milly's pursed lips and condescending eyes. "Oh, I'm glad I'm only here for a couple of weeks."

"Don't remind me! I'm going to be stuck here with..." Betty abruptly fell silent, shocked to see the handsome soldier on the sidewalk watching them with a bemused expression on his face. "Who is that?" she whispered, nudging Bella in the shoulder. "He's staring at you."

Startled, Bella stopped laughing and looked in the direction Betty was pointing. Just a few yards away, stood a man, neatly dressed in the uniform of a pilot, hat in hand. Tall with silky black hair that shone like silk under the afternoon sun, lighting up her world with a single smile. "Jacob," she whispered. Then forgetting all about Betty, Bella raced forward with arms wide open.

Carelessly dropping his hat, Jacob scooped her up, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around in a tight hug. "What are you doing here?" she giggled.

Setting her down gently, but refusing to take his hands from her waist, Jacob shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Do I need a reason to come and see you?"

Bella shook her head, unabashed emotion shining from her big doe eyes. "Never. You know that. I was just surprised to see you here. How did you know when I'd be done today?"

Biting his lip, suddenly nervous, Jacob shifted uneasily on his feet. "I didn't. I just figured you'd go in early and I decided to come and wait for you," he confessed. "You are done for the day, right?"

Bella smiled widely, sending his heart soaring. "I'm all yours."

It was a simple statement, but when their eyes locked onto each others, both caught their breath as the double meaning of the words hung thick in the air.

The slight clearing of a throat behind her reminded Bella that they were not alone. Quickly extricating herself from his arms, she whirled around, slightly embarrassed to see Betty standing there, her delicate eyebrows raised, a very pointed expression on her face. As if she knew some secret that Bella did not.

"Since Bella seems to have forgotten her manners, I'll introduce myself. Elizabeth O'Connor, but you can call me Betty." She dangled her fingers out towards him as if conveying an honor of the highest order.

Jacob looked at her with some amusement, pegging her as a wild card right away. Then taking her outstretched hand into his own, shook it firmly. "Jacob Black. We're uh, old friends," he explained.

"Oh yes, I know," answered Betty, as though she'd made his acquaintance before. "Bella here talks about you all the time."

"She does?" he replied, unable to keep the small vestige of hope from his voice.

"I do not!" Bella all but stamped her foot like a small child, but she couldn't help laughing a little at Betty. She was a card, alright. Full of devilish charm and easy on the eyes to boot. Bella couldn't fault her though. Betty liked to ruffle feathers and they just happened to be her current targets.

Pushing between them, Betty linked arms with both of them and began propelling them forward. "So, what brings you here, Jacob? Obviously you're not sick."

"Don't mind Betty, Jake. She's just nosy." Sarcasm and affection dripped from her tongue. "It's a full time occupation."

Jacob winked and cracked a smile at Bella before turning his smoky eyes on Betty, throwing the vivacious girl for a loop. "You should meet our friend, Embry," he stated quite matter-of-factly. "I think he must pay off the telephone operators to get all his intel."

Betty's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, then we should get along swimmingly! We can share our trade secrets. But, enough of that," she decreed, flicking her wrist in an exaggerated gesture. "What brings you to our neck of the woods on such a lovely day?" she asked companionably, as though she'd known Jacob all her life instead of Bella.

"I just thought Bells might like to go for a walk, see the base. She um, mentioned wanting to see my airplane."

"Oh! You're a pilot. Well, I should have known!" she exclaimed, chastising herself as if being a pilot was a commonplace occupation. As though he might have been the butcher, baker or candlestick maker. "Well, I'm sure Bella here would just love to go on a little sightseeing adventure."

Jacob took her measure, sure that Betty was itching to size him up too. Girl seemed like a good sport, even if she was a bit over the top. Bella liked her, and the way he figured it, that counted for a lot. "You're welcome to come along, Betty."

Bella smothered a smile. Jacob had singularly beat the girl at her own game.

Rising to the occasion in true Betty form, she looked at Jacob as if daring him to back out. Then accepted his invitation in perfect high hat fashion. "Why, thank you, Captain Black. That's quite gentlemanly of you. I think I will join you kids. Do be a dear and let us stop by our quarters and get out of these dreadful uniforms. They certainly don't do anything to flatter us women." She blatantly eyed Jacob up and down appraisingly, changing her tone completely. "Same can't be said about you though."

"Betty!" shouted Bella, ready to die from embarrassment. She thanked her lucky stars they'd finally arrived at the nurses dormitory.

"Oh, I'm just teasing him a little Bella. Lighten up." Grabbing Bella by the arm, Betty wagged her finger at Jacob. "Now don't go anywhere! We won't be long."

Once inside the door and safely out of earshot, Bella whirled on Betty, completely astounded by her outlandish behavior. "You are impossible!" she accused, trying and failing shamelessly to keep the laughter out of her voice.

"And you're blind," Betty retorted. "That is some kinda man out there waiting for you. I'd snatch him up myself, but clearly he only has eyes for you."

Ignoring her, Bella plucked a dress out of the closet, too exasperated to pay attention to what she was putting on. "I think you might be overstating things just a bit. Jacob is my friend, that's all. He sees me like his little sister. All the guys do," she explained.

Betty softened a bit. Bella was really clueless when it came to men. Either that or she had herself completely fooled. "Sweetheart, no man looks at a woman the way he looked at you and has brotherly thoughts. Anyone within a thousand miles can see that flyboy is off the market for good."

Blushing furiously, Bella scurried into the bathroom to change out her dress.

Betty smiled wickedly, unable to resist tossing one more jibe her way. "When you finally fall under his spell, don't forget what Mrs. Grundy told you today about the hideous affliction otherwise known as the clap."

The only reply was a loud huff and slamming door.


	5. Chapter 4

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For the better part of an hour, Jacob escorted the two young women around the base, giving them the nickel tour. In a way, he felt kind of stupid, this was all something that would be part of their orientation. On the other hand, it afforded him time with the pretty young woman who presently hung on his arm, glancing up at him with shy smiles of admiration. That alone was worth remembering each and every boring detail of military life.

When Bella walked out of the nurse's dormitory, she stole his breath away with her beauty. There was a simplicity to her, a natural glow that illuminated her very soul. She herself did not fully realize how lovely she really was, only adding to her charm. Skipping down the stairs, excitement shone in her eyes, the pink flush of her cheeks matching the delicately embroidered cherry blossoms scattered over the fabric of her dress. When the sun glinted off of her long dark tresses giving it the angelic appearance of a halo, his fingers longed to tangle themselves in the fine, soft curls. In his mind's eye, Jacob saw a vision of her dressed in a white gown, walking towards him, giving herself to him. He vowed to one day make it a reality. _When the war is over... _he thought, _I'm going to marry this girl._

Betty prattled away endlessly, embarrassing Bella by regaling Jacob with stories from home, not so subtly dropping hints about the many eligible bachelors that wanted to thank her for nursing them back to health. Every so often she'd see a dark expression cross over Jacob's face when she mentioned them. Giving Bella a sidelong glance every so often, Betty noted the crimson stain to her cheeks, divining with absolute certainty that the pair viewed each other as more than just friends. Betty resolved to do something about it.

Approaching the airfield, Bella stopped abruptly, awed and somewhat afraid at seeing the dozens of flying, green death machines that littered the lush green grass. They stood out in direct contrast to the beautiful field carpeted in wild blue flowers just behind them. Large and small, the fighters screamed danger, causing Bella to clutch Jacob's arm a little bit tighter.

Betty was still talking like a rushing river while walking forward when Jacob unwound his arm from her. Apprehension was written all over Bella's face making his own heart beat with worry. He wanted to wipe her fears away, just as he had the wet tears that fell so freely down her sweet face the day he departed for the war.

Gently brushing her cheek with the back of his hand, he looked steadily into her eyes trying to ease her fears."It's ok, Bells. I made you a promise. You're not going to lose me too."

It was a lie and they both knew it. There was always a chance. A risk each time he went on a bomb run. Just being on the base there was the chance that they could be attacked by enemy planes. Air raid sirens were as common an occurrence as brushing your teeth in the morning. Words were of little comfort when the truth manifested itself so plainly before your eyes on a daily basis.

Watching her carefully, Jacob waited patiently for her to be ready. Only when she relaxed under his touch did he lace his arm with Betty's again, drawing them all forward. In fact, he was so preoccupied with Bella that he didn't notice Betty watching them intently, nor her look of sheer amazement upon seeing her best friend fall under his spell.

No sooner than they had come close enough to the plane to be seen, a wolf whistle rang through the air followed by a lascivious shout. "Look at the gams on that dame!" Rolling her eyes, Bella spotted the culprit and his sidekick instantly.

"Hey Call! Wouldya look at that! Black went out and finally found himself not one, but two pretty girls!"

Bella burst into uncontrolled laughter while Betty stood stock still and awestruck at the the two good-looking men sitting on the wing of the hulking plane. Around the base of it, a half dozen other men milled around, dressed down, dirty with smudges of grease on their white t-shirts.

Jacob shook his head, sighing exaggeratedly then turned to Betty. "You'll have to forgive their manners" he said, speaking loud enough for the two to hear. "They don't know a lady when they see one."

Betty winked at the two men who had quickly scrambled down from the wing and were now fast approaching them. "Good thing I'm not a lady then."

"At least she's got a sense of humor, more than I can say for you today, Jake." Paul strode right up to Bella, pulling her into a tight hug. "Twice in two days! Bells, baby, I still can't believe you're here."

Paul raised his eyebrows shooting a knowing look at Jacob. "Shoulda figured when you took off to put on your glad rags you were gonna go get our girl."

"Lay off, Paul." Embry shoved him out of the way, then placing his hands on Bella's waist, lifted her high into the air making her giggle and squeal. Putting her down and pulling her in for his own hug everyone around could hear the happiness radiate through his voice. "Good to see you, darling."

Embry winked at her, then gestured dramatically at the giant plane casting long shadows in the afternoon sun. "Jake bring you out here to see the pile of bolts?"

"Gotta have something to tell your families when I get back home." Bella smiled brightly, putting on a brave face. She refused to let them know how afraid for them she really was. Instead, she dug deep within, determined to introduce her old friends to Betty with pride.

"Boys, I'd like you to meet my friend Betty. She's going to be stuck here with you goons after I go home. So be nice or I'll leave her a can of salt to pour in your wounds."

"Aww, Bella, honey, when did you get so tough?" Paul shook his head at her then introduced himself to Betty. Taking her hand, he brought it up to his lips, caressing the back of it lightly with a kiss. "Paul Lahote. Co-pilot of the unnamed beast and brains of this operation."

Betty raised an eyebrow at Jake who just rolled his eyes. "Somehow I doubt that," she responded icily.

"Don't mind Paul. He might be a good pilot, but he'd be nowhere without me." Embry stuck out a large paw, swallowing her little hand in his. "Embry Call, navigator extraordinaire."

"Oh so you're Embry!" Betty swapped Jacob's arm, firmly wrapping her own around Embry's. "We should talk. I've heard a lot about you."

Embry grinned widely. "Those two been telling tales about me?"

Jacob laughed openly at his buddy's expense. "More like warning her, Em. Seems the two of you have a few things in common. Like knowing the intimate details of everyone's lives from here to timbuktu."

"Do we now? Well, come on then, Betty. Let's take a little stroll. I'll teach you the in's and out's of aviation and we can plot a little revenge in between. What say?"

Betty squared up her shoulders, sticking her chin out pugnaciously. "I'd love to. Lead the way."

Bella watched the two stroll off like old friends, then turned to back to Jacob, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You know, that's just trouble looking for a place. You're going to regret introducing those two before the week is out."

Jacob couldn't help himself. Ever since she'd dropped his arm he'd been itching to touch her. As if it were some sort of secret need to be fulfilled. An incompleteness without feeling her skin against his own. Grazing her cheek with the back of his hand, he smiled and spoke, reveling at the crimson stain of her cheeks hoping she might understand the true meaning of his words. "Nah. Just means that I get you all to myself, Bells. I can't think of anything I could want more."

"Quit pawing her, Black. That's not what you brought her out here for."

Then the moment was lost. Bella blushed, looking down at the ground, clearly uncomfortable. Jacob dropped his hand, his grey eyes turning black with anger, directed at Paul. "Shut it, or I'll have you cleaning engines with a toothbrush for the rest of the week."

Then a small hand fluttered to his side, dainty fingers running over of his back, soothing him with the lightest touch. Calming and stilling the rage welling up within. Her voice was but a whisper, but loud enough to let him know she was alright. "It's ok. I'm ok."

When Jacob turned to her, he found Bella's soft eyes staring back at him, a gentle smile painted on her lovely face. "So, are you going to show me your plane or not?"

"Sure." He managed a half grin for her, bothered and frustrated with how quick tempered he'd just become. Jacob was never one to get angry fast. Level-headedness was his hallmark. Part of what made him good at his job. But, when it came to the small woman by his side, he was like a lion protecting its mate. Realizing he'd have to apologize to Paul later, he shoved it all from his mind, concentrating instead on the desire to make Bella happy.

Paul watched the pair with marked interest. Jacob needed a push in the right direction and he was just the man to do it. He'd never hurt either one of them for all the money in the world. The way Paul figured it, he was doing them both a favor. Anyone with an eye could see they belonged together. Deciding to do the right thing for once, he scrambled back up onto the wing, going back to his work and giving the two a little privacy.

Thirty minutes and an awkward shove up through the hatch door later, Bella dropped back down into Jacob's strong arms and stood staring at the hulking green monster that consumed his life these days. She had tried not to cringe at catching sight of the giant machine guns with their sheets of ammunition poking out of the windows like lethal barbs. Just as she was trying now, not to wilt upon seeing the pock holes left behind from where flack and stray bullets had pierced its cold armored metal flesh.

Equal to anything, Bella drew her back straight, then pointed at the hash marks painted on the side of the B-17. "What are those for?"

Jacob's sharp intake of breath should have been a warning to her. It was a question he didn't want to answer. Just a little while ago she had been adorably ensconced in the pilot seat, giggling and jerking her chin saucily when he dropped his captain's hat atop the flowing mahogany colored curls that adorned her head. His heart sank through the floor, knowing what the answer would do to her own.

"They're tallies," he responded, saying a silent prayer that would be the end of it. The questioning look on her innocent face told him it was not.

Closing his eyes and sighing heavily, he braced himself for what he was certain would be Bella's reaction. The one that he was sure would break her in two. He knew now that it had been foolish to make her that promise at the train station. At the time they had all been so cocky, full of bravado and rowdy swagger. Blind to the danger and pestilence brewing thousands of miles away. They had believed themselves to be untouchable, determined to become heroes.

It had not taken long before reality set in. It slapped him full force in the face the first time he was ruthlessly attacked by a man whose name he did not know. Forced to defend himself with weaponry he'd only ever previously used on childhood hunting trips, firing off round after round, fumbling, nearly dropping his gun. Jacob watched in horror as the blood poured from the man's wounds. Wounds he'd inflicted, creating scars that would never heal. The light faded from the nameless strangers eyes much like the dying embers of a campfire. The man's last breaths were painful and wheezed, lips stained brilliant crimson as he spluttered from the red, viscous liquid that consumed his lungs and throat.

Until his dying day, Jacob knew he would never forget that face, or the stigma of guilt that inevitably accompanied it. He had taken a life that fateful day. Somewhere a mother wept, a father mourned, a sweetheart cried. Throwing himself into duty, he blistered his hands, self-inflicting penance, working them raw digging graves for those who had died. Each shovelful of dirt forever blotting out any arrogance he may have once felt, replacing it with humility and a reverence for how fleeting his own time on this earth might be.

Opening his eyes, he gazed down at her steadily, determined to offer her one more chance to walk away and leave the question unanswered. "Do you really want to know?" he asked.

Bella only nodded, waiting for an explanation.

"They're tallies. A count of how many enemy planes we've shot down." Jacob gauged her reaction carefully, but to her credit, Bella did not flinch in the slightest. "The first set," he pointed at the yellow lines to the right beneath the small navigators window. "Those are the number of enemy fighters we've shot down. Small planes, dogfighters sent in to attack when we're on runs."

"The second group," he indicated to the smaller number to the left, "are enemy bombers we've taken out."

"Below that, those thin lines that are further apart from each other? Those are what Paul and Embry were working on when we got here." Jacob nodded to the small bucket of yellow paint that rested on the wing. "Those lines are going to be painted over. They represent the number of bomb runs we've done."

"Oh." There were no words sufficient to explain all she was feeling. Pride, fear, anger... her emotions were all over the proverbial map.

There was no way she could possibly comprehend the inherent danger posed each time they went in the air, just as there was no way he could understand the magnitude of her own fears. Not wanting to lose her friends, she felt small and selfish, wishing that this cursed war would end, ready to fall to her knees in prayer that someone would put a bullet straight through Hitler's head. In her mind, he was the antichrist incarnate. If he were taken out of the equation the rest of the world would surely fall in line and Jacob, Embry and Paul could return safely home where they belonged.

Jacob waited, watching the struggle within her as she searched for the right words. He knew there were none. _No matter what way you slice it, no matter how many parties or patriotic words you slap on it, war ain't pretty_, he thought.

Suddenly, Bella squared her shoulders, her pretty eyes narrowed with anger and sheer determination. "I swear to God, I'll go back home and make sure every single bomb we manufacture and every bullet we produce is filled with enough powder to wipe them all off the map." Her face was white with fear, her tiny hands balled into tight fists, but pride radiated from every fibre of her being.

Just then, before Jacob could respond, Paul came up behind them, spinning Bella around and staring her down with just as much determination. "Bells, don't worry. We know what we're doing and we're as safe as we can be. Jacob is a good pilot. One of the best. Embry's a top notch navigator and the rest of the boys are ace at their jobs. Don't let this shit scare you. You can't let it rule you or else it'll eat you alive."

Paul tilted her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him. "You understand me?" After nodding her head in comprehension, Paul engulfed her in a strong, warm hug. "All I want you to think about are how blue those skies are. They're just as beautiful here as they are in Washington. When you go back home and look up at them, know we're doing the same thing. I don't see bombs or fire when I look at the clouds. I remember home. I remember you, our families and picnics by the lake. When we get back, we're going to have a party and you little girl, are going to sing."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but Bella heroically swallowed them back. "No way, Paul. That was a one time deal."

Gripping her shoulders, Paul stared down at Bella with an intensity she had never seen in him before. He seemed a million miles away. All traces of his usual wit were wiped away and his deep voice was soft with unchecked emotion.

"Oh yes you are. You're going to sing because your heart will be full. It's going to bubble up from some hidden place inside of you until you feel like you won't be able to breathe unless you get it out. You'll laugh, tease us all mercilessly, then sooner or later it will burst forth, overflowing like the banks of a rushing river and we'll all be blessed for having been lucky enough to hear it."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Bella smiled wistfully at Paul. "When did you become such a sentimental old fool?"

Laughing lightly, Paul placed a finger over his lips. "Sshhh... don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it. God forbid that anyone know what a nice guy you really are." Bella wrapped her little arms around him again in a sweet embrace resting her cheek over his kind heart. "Thank you," she whispered, the simple words rich with a deeper meaning. Thank you for today, for all the years you've protected me, for a lifetime of friendship.

Pulling back from her, a devious look crossed over his face, just to show her that the other Paul lurked right below the surface. "Do I get to cash my check now or later?" he asked, winking and licking his lips.

Bella giggled and placed a hand over his mouth. "Sorry, Mac. Banks closed. Try again in another life."

"Ah well, a guy has to give it his best shot," he shrugged then jerked his head toward Jake who had watched the entire scene with speechless fascination. "Besides, I think Jake here would take the mickey out of me if I pulled anything on _his _girl." Paul grinned wickedly, enjoying shocking his buddy who had gone slack-jawed and the stain of pink that colored Bella's cheeks like a blushing rose.

"Better close your mouth before you swallow a fly, Black." Shoving his hands in his pockets, Paul rocked back on his heels. "Well, looks like my job here is done. Gotta go see a man about a dog anyhow." Then he left, just as fast as he came, leaving Jacob and Bella utterly speechless.

Seconds passed, feeling like hours, each more awkward than the next as both tried to find the right words. Finally, Jacob broke the silence. Shaking his head regretfully, he reached for her small hand, engulfing it in his, giving her a little squeeze. "Bella, I'm sorry, Paul..."

Her heart dropped so hard that she felt it in the soles of her shoes. Before he could get any further, she shook her head and half-smiled, hoping to hide the hurt in her voice. "It's ok, Jake. Paul's just being Paul. I don't know why he thinks there's anything between us. Betty got the same way. I keep telling her I'm practically your sister. Why does everyone have to stick their nose in our business? I mean, really!" she huffed, practically stomping her foot at the end of her little rant. "Nosy busybodies with nothing better to do."

Jacob shut his mouth. He longed to tell her how he really felt, that she wasn't just his little sister anymore. That he fell in love with her the second he saw her on that stage. That it was crazy, too soon and absolutely perfect, all in the same breath, certain that she had to feel the same way.

Instead, he swallowed back the words resting on the tip of his tongue, giving her a fake smile she was sure to notice. "Come on. I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew and then I'll walk you back."

Feeling nervous and a little unsteady on her feet after what had just occurred, Bella took his arm gratefully and allowed him to guide her into the mix of strange men that comprised the flight crew.

They met her graciously, polite and complimentary of her performance the night before. Most of them eager to hear news from the states, what the papers were saying or how the war effort was going. Bella tried her best to answer their questions, learn their names and faces along with what jobs they performed in this strange and unfamiliar world. When they threw out terms she didn't understand, Jacob would lean down, whispering explanations in her ear, the low roughness of his voice sending shivers down her spine.

Just out of sight, Embry and Betty watched them with fascination. Betty found she couldn't tear her eyes away from the couple if she tried, while Embry found it increasingly difficult to look away from the beauty on his right. When she turned her blue eyes on him, the world slipped out of focus. All he saw was her.

"So, what's the deal with those two?" she asked curiously. "When I talked to Bella about it earlier, she blushed like mad and then gave me the big brush off."

Embry glanced back towards the two again, noticing how they leaned against each other, their movements practically synchronised as if they were but one person, each an extension of the other.

"You really wanna know?"

Betty nodded her head enthusiastically, waiting for him to go on.

"We've all been friends with each other since we were kids. Charlie, that's Bella's father," he explained, "and Jake's dad, Billy go way back. When Jacob was nine, his mom died. One day she got sick, nobody knew what was wrong with her until it was too late. Cancer." Embry shook his head remembering. "It was awful."

"Then, not quite a year later, Bella's mom was crossing the street. She got hit by a car. Died instantly. Bella was only about seven years old at the time. She was in the drugstore eating an ice cream when we heard the screams."

Embry's gaze locked onto Bella, recalling the look of horror on her face, the ice cream cone that fell to the pavement when she ran outside, the way she threw her little body on her mother's broken one. The blood that poured over the hard pavement, and the tracks her little shoes made when they finally pulled her away. Memories Embry would rather forget.

"Jake and I were with her that day. Mrs. Swan, she took us all into town with her for a treat. Jake hadn't been himself since the day he lost his ma and she looked after him. Loved him like he was her own. There's alot of her in Bella. That same sweet, caring nature."

Embry paused for a minute, the memories of Bella's mother and the days following her death flooding his mind. He'd never forget the tears that she cried or the forlorn look on her face the day of the funeral. Jacob had held her hand, never once leaving her side. "Anyhow, after that, you hardly ever saw Jake without Bella. We all kinda looked after her from then on."

"She told me you all see her like she's your little sister." It was a question more than a statement. Betty was trying to understand. "Bella's never really talked about her mother. I know Charlie. He doesn't talk about her either. But, Bella does talk about you three. She's missed you all so much."

"Well, she's right on the money with that one. Guess we were like big brothers. If anyone teased her or so much as looked at her funny, they got an earful or a black eye from one of us." Embry nodded his head towards the two. "Jake and Bella though, their relationship was different. Special. Paul and I, we couldn't relate to losing a parent. They pulled each other through a hard time. Charlie and Billy, they were pretty lost at sea for awhile. Those two would get left alone together all the time, not that they cared. Jacob always was her best friend. Not a day has gone by since we left that he doesn't look at her picture and tell her goodnight."

Embry grinned almost wistfully, thinking of the way they both lit up like Christmas trees the night before. "You should have seen Jake when we realized it was her up on that stage. We all but had to sit on him to keep him in his seat. It was like something out of a picture show when he hugged her up on that stage. I'm not sure either one of them knew just how much they'd missed each other until that moment."

"I wish I could have been there," Betty whispered dreamily, wrapped up in the romance of it all.

Embry just nodded his head. "It was something special, alright. When we were at that club last night, Paul and I could see it. Jacob was a goner. You have to remember," he explained, "when we took off for this war, Bella was still a kid. Hair in pigtails, shy tomboy and all that. So, seeing her now, it's different. They both might be fighting it, but sooner than later, those two are going to both realize what's plain to the rest of us. They're belong to each other. Always have."

Betty nodded her head in agreement. "I tried to tell her that earlier. That Jacob doesn't see her like a sister. I can tell you right now, she sure doesn't see him as a brother anymore," she assured him.

"Nope, like I said, shouldn't take long for the two of them to get on the same page. Usually they can read each other's thoughts pretty clearly, but this is uncharted waters for them. Jake has never had more than a casual relationship since we left home, and if I know Bella, she's never so much as looked at a man that way."

"Not since I've known her," Betty admitted, elbowing Embry in the ribs. "Think we need to give them a little nudge?"

"Nah. Paul already did last night. They'll figure it out." Embry tossed an arm casually over her shoulders. "What say we join them? I'm sure Bella's on overload with those jerks talking her ear off. Maybe the four of us can grab some dinner or something in town."

Betty grinned saucily. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Embry laughed a little, nervous and excited. "That depends. You sayin' yes?"

Eyes dancing with merriment, Betty drew her back straight and tilted her head, blessing Embry with a pretty smile that catapulted him soaring to the moon and back. "Officer Call, it would be my pleasure."


	6. Chapter 5

**There will be no chapter of Firefly next week as my beta is going on vacation. HOWEVER! I am running a contest on Tricky Raven to win a copy of the the rough draft for the next chapter during that week. Please check it out at www. trickyraven. ning group/ firefly-ff/ forum/ topics/ chapter-5**

**Must be 18 and up to join!**

watch?v=RF1yQMPMEMo

Bella's heart was light walking out to the airfield. The afternoon sun shone brightly, a slight breeze drifting through the spring air. Picnic basket in hand, she planned to spend lunch with her boys. The planes were still daunting, but even their foreboding nature could not dim her joy. She had only these few weeks to share with them and she intended on making every second count.

Her thoughts strayed briefly to everything that had happened the day before. Jacob had seemed uncomfortable around her yesterday afternoon. His old protective nature had shone through, but it was as if he held a central part of himself back from her. She supposed that it was due in part to not seeing each other for so many years and perhaps the way Paul seemed to be trying to push them together, reading more into their relationship than there actually was. Certain that Jacob was only trying to spare her feelings, she brushed away her own disappointment and joined them for dinner on Embry and Betty's suggestion.

Thankfully, he seemed to return to himself that night, slipping back into the usual rhythm of their lifelong friendship with ease. Jacob was grateful for all the news of his father, laughing heartily at Charlie and Billy's escapades, such as their insistence to the local recruiting office that they were fit as fiddles, demanding to sign up for active service when news about The Siege of Leningrad reached home. With great animation, she retold the story of how they were thrown bodily from the draft board office, cussing and swearing like the old sailors they were.

"Oh, man, I would have paid to see that!" Jacob and Embry were nearly doubled over with laughter. "Did my dad bring up his war record?"

"He wrote a letter to the newspaper editor calling out the United States Army for not recognizing two fine soldiers such as themselves and informing them that they were discounting the service of WWI veterans who knew what real fighting was." Taking a sip of her coffee, she smiled mischievously, winking at Jake. "Letter got lost somehow and never made it to the paper." Setting the cup back down on the saucer, she shrugged her shoulders, batting her eyelashes innocently, a picture of ambiguity. "Don't know how that could have happened."

Embry slapped the table hard, breaking out into barks of uncontrolled laughter. "By God, Bella, you are something else!" Laughing until tears formed in his eyes, he shook his head in disbelief. "I can just see Billy berating the cranky old postmaster for losing his mail."

Bella snuggled deeper into Jacob's side, reveling in his warmth. "Well, let's just say that since there's a ration on sugar, the mail clerk was especially pleased to get a double batch of my cookies."

Betty watched the interaction of the pair with rapt interest. Jacob seemed to anticipate her movements before they happened. In turn, Bella anticipated each of his needs. Like a finely choreographed dance, they handed each other the salt, pepper or extra napkins. Each taking the object from the others hands without so much as a glance, even flagging down the waitress to refill the others drink before it could be emptied.

The cramped booth forced them all to sit closely, though Jacob and Bella took it to an extreme without conscious thought. Perhaps it was the way his arm draped casually over her shoulders, or in how she leaned so comfortably into his side, or when she would glance up at him just as he would look down at her with a gentle smile. It all screamed of something larger, much more than what shone on the surface alone.

This was love. Pure, unadulterated and unconditional. Sweetened by the passage of time, the bonds of which were only made stronger by absence. It was the union of two people whose hearts had belonged to each other since before time began.

Seeing them together, Betty could now understand fully what Embry had tried so hard to explain that afternoon. It wasn't just their shared history, it was almost as if fate had stepped in years ago, knowing they would need each other. To anyone who observed them, it was obvious that Jacob and Bella belonged to each other. So unequivocally that it caused Betty's own heart to cramp with piteous envy. Never having really believed in soul mates, what Jacob and Bella shared gave her the hope that life might have something special in store for her after all.

When morning rolled around, Bella woke with a light heart. More than that, she was determined to spend every waking minute she could spare with Jacob and the boys. No matter how it played out, she could keep her secret dreams to herself and enjoy their relationship for what it was.

Friendship. The most beautiful friendship of her young life.

Turning the heads of every man on the airfield, Bella skipped and sang a tune on her way to the plane. In her little hands was a picnic basket filled to the brim for Jacob and his flight crew. She stood out like a sore thumb, the crisp white linen of her uniform contrasting brightly against the ugly army green of the planes that melted into the long grass. Moreover, her unequivocal charm and grace captured the hearts and minds of every man who laid eyes on her, sending a silent longing through those who missed their sweethearts, being so far from home

Approaching the bomber, her heart beat wildly at the scene rendered before her. Standing on the wing, his raven hair shining in the sun, Jacob appeared as a modern day adonis. No matter that the garments clothing his body were stained and tattered, nor that instead of a golden throne he ruled from the torn seat of an airplane. Dark glasses obscured his beautiful eyes, but nothing could hide the smile he wore when she appeared in his vision.

"Bells!" he shouted, dropping the greasy wrench that served as his scepter. Jacob flew down from the wing with all the agility and grace of an eagle. He ran to her, relieving the heavy burden from her small hands and sweeping her into a warm hug before she could bat an eye. "What are you doing here? Can you stay for awhile?" he asked, unable to contain the eagerness spilling from within.

"I brought out some sandwiches for everyone. I can't stay long. I'm on my lunch break. That old bat who's in charge will skin me alive if I'm so much as a minute late. She's already berated Betty and put her on laundry duty today for daydreaming on the job." Bella rolled her eyes. "Hospital is practically empty anyhow. There's not much to do right now."

"I'll take whatever time with you I can get." Jacob grasped her by the hand and called out over her shoulder to his men. "Hey, everyone! Lunch break! Bella brought your ungrateful asses some food!"

Opening up the basket, Jacob grabbed a couple of sandwiches and then scanned the area, searching for something. He took off like a shot, leading her forward so fast that she stumbled in the wake of his long strides. "Jake! Slow down!" she begged.

Jacob halted abruptly, dropping her hand and turning around. Instead of looking concerned or sorry, he wore a look of sheer amusement. "Sorry, short stuff. I forgot you can't keep up." Then scooping her into his strong arms, he tossed her over one shoulder, racing out into the field of wild blue, anxious to have her to himself, even if it was only for a few minutes.

"Jake!" she laughed, her little fists hitting him on the back. "Put me down!"

"In a minute!" He sounded so much like the little boy she had grown up with that Bella could not find it in her heart to chastise him. When he finally released her, she swatted at him playfully.

"What has gotten into you?" she exclaimed, clutching at the neat cap that pulled loose from the pins holding it in her hair.

Jacob seated himself on the grass, leaning backwards onto one elbow and squinted, shielding his eyes from the afternoon sun. "Just happy to see you."

Bella stared at him dumbfounded. The muscles of his arm flexed as he bent it, through his shirt she could see the firm outline of his chest, forcing her to wonder just when it was that the boy she once knew had become so undeniably, a man.

"Well, aren't you gonna sit down?" he asked.

"Jake, I can't. If I get grass stains on this uniform, I'll have a worse fate than Betty."

"Can't have that." Jacob grabbed her hand, pulling her down to his lap. "There. Now you're sitting and no grass stains."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Bella was overcome by how wonderful it was to be with him again, to share in his everyday infectious zeal for life. "You are incorrigible."

Dropping a light kiss against her temple and squeezing her waist, Jacob spoke softly in her ear. "Nah, just happy today."

"Eat," he prodded, picking up his own sandwich and devouring it like a hungry dog.

Bella nibbled quietly, taking in the surrounding countryside. Rolling hills of grass merging into the treeline of a small forest filled with oak and pine not far off in the distance. "This kinda reminds me of home."

"Me too." Both became quiet, the unsaid implication that it would be a very long time before the war ended so that he would be free to go back to Washington, a harsh reality between them. Neither wanted to think of what other unspeakable hardship fate might have in store for them.

Jacob had finished eating and was playing with a loose curl that tickled her neck, enjoying having her so close. "So, Bells, what are you doing tomorrow night? I've got guard duty later, but I'm off all day tomorrow."

Bella shot him a sarcastic look. "Washing my hair."

"Liar. Come on, Bells, let's do something fun," he begged.

"Actually, that sounds great. I'm off the next two days. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, if you have that kind of time, how 'bout we make a day of it. We can go into town, get some lunch, poke our heads into the shops, then maybe we can go down to one of the juice joints for a little dancing. I can ask the guys to meet us there," he bribed, praying she'd say yes.

"Besides, I'm sure Embry would love an excuse to take Betty out on the town," he pointed out slyly.

"Those two are a match made in heaven, alright."

"So, I'll pick you up at eleven? Does that sound good?"

"Sure. Jake I really need to get back. I wasn't kidding when I said I only have a few minutes."

"That's fine, Bells. I'll walk you."

He left her on the hospital doorstep that afternoon, dropping a gentle kiss against her forehead. The promise of the coming day filled her with happy anticipation. Their time together here was short, but it was a gift of unmatched magnitude.

In the morning she searched her closet carefully, Betty having long since left for rounds. She donned a bright yellow dress to match the sunshine that had filled her heart to overflowing. Singing her way around the room, Bella found she could barely contain her excitement.

Stepping outside into the warm sun promptly at eleven, she found Jacob waiting for her as promised. Leaning against the faded red brick of the building, he looked as at ease as he had in the cockpit of his plane. Wearing loose fitting tan trousers and a grey button down shirt, he looked like a typical tourist, ready to blend into the scenery instead of the important man he had so rapidly become. In his hand he held a single white daisy. Bella's pink cupid's bow lips spread into a smile meant only for him.

Jacob kissed her lightly on the cheek. "You look beautiful," he stated. "But, you need one more thing."

Tucking the delicate blossom into the soft waves pinned behind her ear, Jacob could not help but feel hopeful as he watched her long dark lashes flutter prettily beneath his touch. Just as she could not help the slight shiver of anticipation she felt when his fingertips caressed her cheek ever so lightly or the warm heat of his breath when he whispered in her ear, "Now you're perfect."

His fingers ghosted over her shoulders, down her arms until engulfing her tiny hand in his own larger one. "Ready?" he asked.

Bella could barely breathe. Jacob's all consuming presence and seeing him in this new light had thrown her world into a tailspin. "Yes," she whispered, allowing him to lead her to a car, fingers twined and arms swinging between them like school children.

The drive was short, but Bella took in her surroundings with eager eyes. The old world was new and beautiful to her. From the winding cobbled streets of the storybook village to the quaint timbers outlining the old fashioned buildings, she saw it all through rose-colored glasses. Life was a grand adventure and Jacob was her guide.

Parking the borrowed car along the side of the street, Jacob hopped out while Bella waited patiently for him to open the door. She did not refuse when he proffered his arm to her. In just three short days it was becoming second nature, just as much a part of their friendship as when he would take her hand to help her up and over the steepest parts of the hills back home.

The streets were busy with women running their errands, clutching purses that held precious ration stamps more valuable than gold. All around them children laughed and played, taking advantage of the nearly empty cobbled roadway to race their billy carts at top speed. In the distance she could see little girls perched on the edge of a grand old fountain, their fingers tracing patterns in the cool, rippling water.

"It's pretty, here," she remarked. "So different from home."

Jacob nodded in agreement. "Yeah, everything here seems so... I dunno, from another time." Raising his eyebrows at her in amusement, he grinned sheepishly. "Accents are kinda funny here too."

"Jacob Black!" Bella giggled.

"What? Sometimes I don't know what they're saying to me!" he defended. "Come on Bells, you'd be confused too if someone offered you pudding and then brought out sausages."

"What?" she exclaimed, completely lost.

Jacob raised his eyebrows, a veritable fount of knowledge. "Just you wait and see. I'll have to help you order something safe when we stop for lunch," he promised solemnly, piquing her curiosity.

"Come on, let's check out some of the shops."

They spent the better part of the next hour poking their noses into the musty bookstore, post office and general store where Bella had to purchase a few small souvenirs to commemorate her time in England.

Finally ducking into the local pub, the two sat down for lunch. Bella took one look at the menu and left the ordering to Jacob, who charmed the socks off of the rather portly, grumpy-looking woman who begrudgingly lumbered out from behind the bar to wait on them.

"This is nice," commented Bella.

The place was simple, quite ordinary for most of the villages that scattered the English countryside. Yet to her, it was full of Old World charm and mystery. The paneled wall behind the long scuffed bar was lined with cracked and twice-mended earthenware pints. The gilt-framed mirror reflected the space, flaking at its edges. Heavy exposed timbers vaulted to an elaborately stamped tin ceiling. Colored glass panes comprised of red, gold and blue diamonds topped the large clear windows affording a view of the street. Above them, furls of black fabric ready to be released at nightfall hung waiting. Against the far wall stood an upright piano, its keys covered and dusty, a silent reminder of livelier times.

Few patrons were scattered among the mostly empty tables. War had indeed made dining out a luxury to most. In the corner, an elderly man whose beard and pipe gave him the image of Saint Nick, sat sipping tea and reading the newspaper. Bella averted her eyes, not wishing to spoil the fairytale in her mind with the bold black headlines that screamed of gloom and doom.

Perched in a heavy wooden chair, she could not help but wonder about the life and laughter that the surrounding walls had witnessed over the years. Even the grumpy matron held some mystique to her. Perhaps the place was once owned by her father and his father before him, passed down to their only child, a girl instead of a much anticipated boy to carry forth their tradition.

"Not much like Old Pete's back in Washington, is it?" remarked Jacob, after watching Bella take in their surroundings, her doe-like eyes alight with wonder.

"Well, since there are no peanut shells on the floor, and no Billy or Charlie calling for just one more... I'd say not," she agreed.

"You're right about that," he laughed heartily. "I don't think our dads would know what to do in a place that didn't have a fish or moose head mounted to the walls, not to mention beer and Irish whiskey."

"I like it here," she stated firmly. "It's different. Maybe one day when all this is over I can come back. Take a vacation and see more of the country. Visit some of the places we read about in history class."

"We'll do it, Bells." Jacob grinned, unconsciously inserting himself into her vacation. It seemed like a given that he would go with her anywhere she planned. "We'll come back, drive around in a big old jalopy with the top down and our hair flying. I'll take you to London. We can walk around like tourists, visit the queen and snap photos of everything in sight. Then we'll climb back in the car and drive all over the green hills, up into Scotland..."

"Where you can buy a kilt and play the bagpipes," she laughed. "I draw the line at eating haggis though. I may not know much about foreign food, but old Mr. MaClean orders that from the butcher twice a month. Blech!" Bella cringed, wrinkling her nose at the memory of the smell.

"Ok. No haggis," Jacob waved his hands, palm outward in front of her. "Scout's honor."

The old matron shuffled over, dropping off their drinks and sparing Jacob a toothy, albeit yellowed and black smile.

Bella sipped daintily on her tea while Jacob drank the dark, bitter, foamy ale of Britain. "So, Bells, tell me what you've been up to since I left, other than keeping our dads from making fools of themselves."

She grinned slyly over the steaming cup. "Well, that is a full-time occupation, you know."

Jacob raised his eyebrows in mutual understanding. "I'm sure."

Bella sat her cup down and snacked on the heavy bread that had been dropped at their table. "Well, I got my diploma, signed up to work for the Red Cross the day after graduation." She shrugged her shoulders. "Not much to tell, really."

"Oh come on, Bells. Tell me about your life," he begged. "I miss you."

"It's not like I'm leading some big glamorous life back home, Jake. I get up, feed my dad, head off to work, come home, weed the garden and work on some of the charity drives for the war. It's pretty boring, really. Not like you with your flying castle."

"Fortress, Bells," he corrected. "Flying fortress. A B-17 to be exact."

"That reminds me, I wanted to ask you something." Bella's brow was creased in confusion.

"Shoot."

"I noticed that the other planes all have names painted on them. How come yours doesn't?" she asked.

"That's because nobody can agree on a name. We need to figure it out soon. It's bad luck to have an unnamed plane." Jacob shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Luck. It wasn't a topic he wanted to talk about. His life was far too dangerous and again guilt ate at his very soul. He wanted to shelter her from this war, but knew that there was no way he could. At the very least he hoped to hide the very real danger of his occupation from her.

Bella sensed the change in his mood, wanting desperately to correct it. They were having too much fun for sorrow right now. Time would catch up with them both, that much she knew. For now, she wanted to live in the moment.

"So, tell me what it's like. Flying, that is?"

Jacob's eyes lit up with excitement, the eagerness in Bella's voice fueling him to share his passion with her. "It's the most amazing feeling in the world. One minute you're on the ground, then the next the air is rushing beneath you. You climb higher and higher into the sky. Sometimes you fly right through the clouds, seeing nothing but white for a few minutes. Then you burst through into a sky of blue and it's like nothing you've ever seen before."

"It sounds incredible."

"It is, it really is," he agreed. "New Zealand was incredible. When we were training there, we'd fly so close to the mountains, you'd almost think you could dip your hand outside and touch the snow. Then the sun would hit just right and you'd look down at the lakes and you couldn't tell where the earth ended and the sky began."

"I wish I could see it someday."

Jacob reached across the table, grasping her hand. "You will, Bells. One day we'll go there too. Hell, we'll travel around the whole world. I'll fly you to the moon and back."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

The afternoon passed all too fast, neither one paying much attention to the people trickling in for supper nor the dripping wet umbrellas they carried. It was only when the bar maid began to unfurl the blackout curtains tightly over the windows that the two realized how late it had become.

Jacob pulled a few bills from his wallet and stood, offering her his hand. "We better get going. We're supposed to be over at the club around eight, and it's already six o'clock."

Reluctantly, Bella got up from their table. Dancing sounded like fun, but spending the afternoon with Jake was something she never wanted to end.

When they opened up the door, both stood beneath the awning, staring at the downpour in front of them.

"Bells, this is like a deluge." Jacob fished the car keys out of his pocket. "Wait here and I'll bring the car around."

Bella smiled with glee. Years later she'd still wonder what had come over her. She didn't know what caused her to do it, but suddenly tore off into the pouring rain. Standing in the middle of the street, her arms spread wide, tilting her face toward the heavens.

Jacob had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"Come on, Jake!" Bella's voice beckoned him to join her.

Bella twirled around, the cotton fabric of her dress sticking to her legs, water pouring over her long brown locks, rushing like a river down her neck and over her creamy skin.

It was something from a dream, that much she was certain of. Jacob rushed towards her with purpose, no smile on his face, no laughter in his eyes, more serious than she had ever seen him. Grasping her outstretched hand, he spun her into his chest. One arm wound firmly around her small waist, holding her closely, the other tilting her chin upwards, forcing her to look into his eyes.

Rivulets of water streamed over his face, droplets clinging to lashes, framing eyes that bore such intensity it was as if looking into a piece of his soul. "I love you," he stated. "I know it's crazy. I know it's too soon. But this is right. This is perfect and I'm never letting you go."

Jacob pressed his lips firmly to hers, pouring out a lifetime of devotion, an entire future in that one simple kiss. Memories, hopes and dreams, ebbed and flowed along that little cobbled street, their hearts and minds undulating in perfect harmony with the falling rain. All around them people rushed by, protected by brilliant colored umbrellas, seeking shelter from the storm.

For them, the warmth of each others hearts broke through the clouds like golden rays of light, giving way to the promise of new life, a bright tomorrow that would span for decades.


	7. Chapter 6

The ride back was silent save for the patter of raindrops on the roof of the car. Bella sat curved into Jacob's side, his arm resting over her shoulders, her cheek laid against his chest, quietly listening to the beat of his heart. Heat poured from the vent, warding off the damp and warming the chill off their icy skin.

Jacob pulled the car to a stop in front of the nurse's dormitory. Bella had not said a word since he kissed her. Not one single word. The silence weighed heavy, more deafening than all of the bombs in Germany.

Staring out through the foggy windshield, the squeaky wipers racing to keep ahead of the downpour, Jacob held his breath, wondering if he'd made a mistake. _Perhaps it had been wrong to kiss her that way_, he thought. _Then again, she hadn't held back._ When he'd pressed his lips to hers, Bella wound her tiny hands into his hair, pulling him so close it was as if she wanted to climb inside of his very being. Nothing in his life, not even flying, had thrilled or exhilarated him as much as that one single kiss. No matter how things panned out, even if he had to wait a thousand years, he was not letting her go. No, he couldn't bring himself to regret it, even though he lacked the courage to look at her right now.

Clutching the steering wheel tightly, Jacob drummed his fingers nervously over the leather cording trying to find the right words to express all that was in his heart. "Bella, I..."

Surprising him, she placed a soft hand on his cheek, gently urging him to turn, begging him silently to see her.

When he did, Jacob found Bella gazing at him demurely from beneath heavy thick lashes. Soft, wet curls framed her heart-shaped face. "I'll see you in a few hours."

Leaning upward, she pressed Jacob's lips to hers once more, reluctant to let him go. Then as quickly as she had done it, she broke away from him and reached for the door.

Jacob grabbed her hand, pulling her back and kissing her passionately once more. Breaking away, she murmured breathlessly against his lips. "Two hours."

"One," he whispered, their foreheads pressed together, his arm wound tightly around her waist.

"One and a half," she countered, smiling and brushing the tip of her nose against his.

"One and a half," he agreed, lightly kissing her forehead. "Not a second more." Then, with one last look, Bella opened the door and leapt from the car, her small figure disappearing into the sheets of pouring rain.

Racing through the downpour, Bella stumbled gratefully into the dormitory, leaving behind a river of water in her wake on the battered hardwood floors. Closing the door to her bedroom, she leaned against it gasping and pale. It wasn't dodging raindrops that had stolen her breath away, but Jacob's gentle kiss. Closing her eyes, Bella tried to center herself, drawing in deep uneven breaths. The events of the day flowed through her mind like an unending movie. She could still feel his strong arms about her waist, see the burning intensity of his eyes and the feel of his warm, soft lips pressed so firmly against her own.

"Bella! What on earth happened to you?" Betty's shocked voice startled her out of her daydream and back to reality.

"Are you ok? You're flushed."

Bella opened her eyes, looking towards Betty's half-dressed form with a small smile curving on her lips. "I'm fine. Would you grab me something so I don't drip everywhere? It's raining cats and dogs out there."

Staring at her critically, Betty wondered just exactly what it was that Bella wasn't telling her. "Sure," she agreed, going back into the bathroom to get a towel and Bella's robe.

"Here," she said, handing her both items. "Take off of those wet things and I'll throw them in the sink."

Bella stood shivering, wresting the soaking wet dress from her body. She was drenched head to toe, blue with cold. Betty stood staring at her as if she wanted to say something, but Bella wasn't ready to answer any questions. Not yet. She needed a few minutes alone to compose her thoughts. Her eyes lit on the bathroom door, saying a silent prayer of thanksgiving for its refuge.

"Finish getting ready. We've got an hour and a half before we leave. I'm going to go take a hot bath and try to warm up."

Bella lay in the hot water, turning over that kiss in her mind. Softly brushing the tips of her fingers over her lips, still feeling Jacob's lingering touch. He had said he loved her. It was everything she had wanted since that night he rushed to her on stage. Now that it had happened, Bella felt overwhelmed and unsure. Like a newborn fawn, unsteady on her little feet. Guilt overwhelmed her, realizing what Jacob must be thinking about now.

Emerging from the bathroom an hour later, she spotted a gown already laid out on her bed. Betty sat at their makeshift dressing table fixing her hair,and grinning at her sheepishly through the mirrors reflection. "Just thought you might want to borrow it. I brought more along than you did and it'll look divine on you."

Lovingly, Bella fingered the soft, silky red folds of the fabric. Pretty things such as this were a luxury hard to come by now, war having made them a commodity long ago. One by one, clothing factories were taken over by machines to produce airplanes and bombs. Watered silk ball gowns that had once twirled so gracefully by the glow of candlelight, were pulled from their tissued slumber, only to see their bright colors bleached, fashioned into parachutes that would float through bullet-riddled skies. Remembering the first time they saw the expensive dress in the pages of McCall's, she thought of how hard her friend scrimped and saved to buy it. "Betty, I can't. You haven't even worn it yet."

"Oh yes! You can, and you will." Betty smiled at her reflection in the mirror, refusing to take no for an answer. Nothing could dim the joy she felt in that moment. Tonight she felt beautiful. Her lips were painted a delicate shade of pink and soft curls adorned her head like a golden angel's crown. "Wear your silver shoes with it and pull out the real pantyhose. No painted seams tonight."

Bella made no move to dress, the words slipping past her lips spontaneously. "He kissed me." It was barely a whisper, but loud enough to be heard. Bobby pins clattered to the wooden floor, sliding through her fingers when Betty turned around in utter shock.

"What? When? Today?" she demanded, desperate to hear all of the details from Bella's own lips. It was what they had been waiting for, expecting to happen, but Betty was shocked to hear it had occurred so soon. She knew for a fact that Embry and Paul had a bet riding on how long it would take the two of them to give in to all that lay buried in their hearts.

Bella looked up at her, smiling softly. "This afternoon, in the rain. I was just standing in the street, feeling the water come down and he rushed over to me and told me he loves me and then... he kissed me." It felt surreal to her somehow, sharing it with Betty. As if she would soon wake from this dream only to find it was just that. A fairytale dream.

"and..." Betty impatiently prompted her to continue.

"Jacob said he loves me. That he knows it's too soon and it's crazy but that he's in love with me."

"and..."

"and nothing," she shrugged, ready to change the subject. "We got in the car and he drove me back here. We kissed a few more times and now I'm telling you."

Something was off and Betty refused to let her off the hook so easily. Then it dawned on her what exactly was missing from this little story. "Bella, did you tell Jacob you love him?"

"No." Bella's cheeks flamed in embarrassment. _Trust Betty to ask the one question I don't want to answer,_ she thought.

"Why on earth not?" she exclaimed. "It's plain to see that you do."

"I don't know why!" Bella cried, slumping down onto the bed. "I wanted to. I should have. Betty, you were right. I am in love with him. Maybe I was before he even left, I don't know. All of this has happened so fast. I don't know what to do with it. I don't know how I should feel. I love him, I really do, but what if he's wrong?" she asked pathetically, wanting to weep. "What happens when I go back to Washington and Jacob realizes the truth? That this was all a mistake and he'll go back to seeing me as his little sister and nothing more?" Her heart couldn't take it. Bella imagined herself, a lonely spinster, pining away for a man who never loved her for the rest of her life.

"Bella, do you really think that Jacob would do that? You're being a little bit over-dramatic and analyzing this way too much." Getting up from her perch, Betty walked over to her dearest friend and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. "The Jacob you know, the one you have told me about for the last two years isn't that hurtful. He wouldn't have said or done anything unless he was sure." Bella rested her head against Betty's shoulder, grateful to have her to lean on and untangle the knotted mess of her heart.

"Sweetie, the two of you were born for each other. Embry can see it, Paul can see it. Even I can see it. Everyone has been waiting for you and Jacob to figure it out. Believe me when I say that this thing between you? It's real and it's forever. Maybe, just maybe...one day if I'm half as lucky as you, I'll find the same kind of love," Betty said wistfully.

Managing a small smile, Bella hugged her friend tightly, thankful for her wisdom and unending friendship. "Maybe you already have," she pointed out slyly.

"Maybe." Betty shoved her away, her happy-go-lucky demeanor returning. "Now, get dressed and then I'm going to do your hair. I want you to feel as beautiful and confident as you really are. I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for some fun!"

Bella picked up the hard won dress, but not before giving her friend one more quick hug. "Betty? Thank you."

"Anytime." It was more than just a frivolous statement. Each woman knew that the other would be there for the rest of their days.

Emerging from the building a short time later, Bella and Betty were both stunned to see how handsome the two men were who stood by the curb waiting for them. The last rays of sunlight were fading from the afternoon sky setting it on fire in a wild blaze of orange and red. The rain had washed the earth clean, leaving behind gentle breezes and blue skies. Leaning against that big old packard, Jacob and Embry looked like men cut from the silver screen. Uniforms replaced by crisp suits of blue and grey, they appeared to belong in the movies, men who women dreamed about but never really believed existed.

In Jacob's hands was another flower. Red. One simple bloomed rose to pin against her dark waves. _It was as__if he knew_, she mused, wondering vaguely if Betty had tipped him off. The crimson petals matched the deep silken fabric of her dress perfectly.

Without even a greeting, Jacob pinned the delicate blossom into the soft strands of her hair, then caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. Looking up at him through new eyes, Bella saw the love inside Jacob's heart written plainly on his face for all the world to see, prompting her to lean upward and kiss him softly.

He rested his forehead against hers, smiling widely. "Hi."

"Hi," she giggled.

The moment was short-lived. Embry clapped a hand hard on Jacob's back. "Ok, you two lovebirds, knock it off. Let's go shake a tailfeather."

Jacob rolled his eyes at Embry. "Way to be subtle, jerk."

"You're welcome. Just for that great compliment, you're driving tonight, Captain." Embry threw the keys at Jacob who caught them in his fist.

Jacob smiled impishly at Betty, then kissed her on the cheek in greeting. "You look beautiful, doll. Promise to save me a dance? Loudmouth here has two left feet."

Betty cocked her head, playing along with his little game. "I'll save you two."

Not one to be deterred, Embry shot back with his own good-natured blow. "That's fine Black. I'm sure Bells won't mind taking a stroll across the floor with Paul while you're entertaining Betty."

Jacob glared at Embry. _Asshole hits below the belt every damn time_, he thought.

"Paul dances divinely, but I'm betting he'll be too caught up in all the beautiful girls to spend time with me." Bella smiled brightly at Jake, thinking how wonderful it felt to be so carefree. "Besides, something tells me my dance card is already full."

Stepping into the small club, music flowed like rushing mountain waters, refreshing their souls. The world was their oyster, just waiting to be devoured. Taking her by the hand, Jacob led Bella straight to the dance floor, the urge to hold her tightly in his arms quickly becoming a need he was sure he'd have every single day for the rest of his life.

They danced until breathless, Bella finally collapsing into Jacob, begging for a break. Joining Betty, Embry and Paul at a table tucked deep into the corner, the two sat down to enjoy the night revelry from afar.

Snatching the beer from Paul's hand, Jacob gulped the amber liquid down as if it were the last drop of water in the desert.

"Hey! Go easy on that, Black. We've got an early briefing," Paul reminded him.

Bella looked at him in confusion. "What briefing? What's he talking about, Jake?"

Jacob glared at Paul, who sat there looking more innocent than a schoolgirl while tugging on his beer. Turning his full attention on Bella, Jacob hoped to make her understand. This wasn't the time or place, but Paul's slip of the tongue had made it unavoidable.

"We've got a run tomorrow," he explained. "I only found out after I dropped you off earlier. I _had _planned on telling you later. I didn't want you to worry all night."

"He's right, Bells," agreed Paul. "Just have a good time tonight and don't think about tomorrow."

"Where are they sending you?" she asked, willing the fear out of her voice.

Jacob sighed, wishing she didn't have to deal with this. "We won't know until morning. It's classified. Flight briefing is at 8:00. We should be up in the air around noon." He was telling her the truth, but catching Paul's eye, both silently thought about what they already knew. Rumor had it they were going to Germany. If it was true, and the whispers usually were, tomorrow wouldn't be a cakewalk.

"No sense worrying when there's pretty girls to dance with." Embry leapt up from his seat, dragging Betty with him. "Come on good lookin', let's go for a whirl."

Winking and grinning wickedly, Paul too jumped up. "Good idea. I think I'll join 'em."

Bella and Jacob watched Paul stroll right into the center of a group of women, who immediately starting fawning all over him. "Bells, let's just have some fun tonight," Jacob begged. "I don't want to think about tomorrow until it gets here, ok?"

"Ok," she agreed, determined for his sake not to let it spoil their evening.

"Besides, take a look out there," he said, jerking his head towards the dance floor. "I think we've got bigger things to worry about."

Bella smiled in amusement when she saw what Jacob was pointing out. There in the middle of the crowd, Embry was kissing Betty as if the outcome of the war depended on it.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed in mock horror. "You know we'll have to pry them apart with a crowbar after tonight. Not to mention that the two of them together is going to be worse than the gossip train back home. I swear, Betty knows every move I make before I make it."

"Yeah, Embry too," laughed Jacob. "That's a match made in heaven. Tell you what though, I'm waiting for some dame to knock Paul off his feet. When that happens... that's gonna be an image worth remembering."

"Make sure you get a picture of that and send it to me," Bella replied, imagining Paul cowed by a girl.

Even though she hadn't meant it to be, it was a harsh reminder to Jacob that soon Bella would be leaving them, with no idea of when she would return, if ever. "Do you really have to go back, Bells? Can't you sign on and stay like Betty?"

Bella sighed. If only it were that easy. "Betty's enlisted, Jake. I'm just a volunteer. Even if I did sign on, there's no guarantee that I'd end up back here."

"I know." Jacob looked into her eyes, wanting to tell her how much he loved her over and over again, but fear held him back. "It feels like I just found you again and I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." It was on the tip of Bella's tongue to say it. If ever there was a right moment, surely this was it. "Jake, I-"

Before she could finish, Paul snuck up behind them, grasped her by the hand, laughing as he yanked her out of her seat. "Come on little girl, let's shake a leg!" Even Jake couldn't suppress a laugh when Paul shocked Bella by twirling her onto the dance floor, then lifted her high up into the air before letting go and catching her in his arms. The band picked up the beat, while Paul and Embry led the girls in a fast paced lindy hop, trading partners and making their skirts fly with every turn of the heel.

Bella's cheeks were as crimson as the deep silken folds of her dress. Jacob's eye wandered from her tiny waist, trailing down gorgeous stems to watch silver slippers fly faster than a hummingbird's wings. She was the prettiest girl out there, and Jacob itched to have her in his arms.

Jacob made his way out to the middle of the dance floor where Paul swung an unsuspecting Bella into his arms. Pausing for only a brief second, Bella smiled and nodded her head.

Jacob's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Let's show 'em how it's done." Then quicker than she could blink, his hands went around her, twisting and turning her high in the air, tossing her around his waist then sliding her between his legs only to turn again, leading her faster and faster through the beating music. When the song wound down, Jacob spun her around until she was dizzy, then pulled her to his chest, kissing her madly to the final crash of the drums.

Applause thundered all around them, the two pulling apart breathless and taking a silly little bow to the captive audience.

The rest of the night passed in a joyful haze. Betty and Embry found that they only had eyes for each other, much to the dismay of several single ladies and antsy flyboys. The two prettiest girls in the room were taken. Jacob couldn't stifle his amusement every time he overheard the words 'lucky stiff's' come out of someone's mouth. He knew they were right and prayed that his luck wouldn't run out anytime soon.


	8. Chapter 7

Groaning heavily and fighting off the urge to go back to sleep, Bella hurriedly pulled herself together. It was far too early to be up and about considering the late hour in which she had gotten in the night before, but a knock on the door had awakened her before dawn. On the other side was a frantic young girl she had only met once or twice, but recognized immediately as one of the other nurses. Deathly pale, complaining of a raging headache, she begged Bella to cover her shift for a few short hours until a replacement could be found. Not ten minutes later, another woman knocked at their door, pleading with Betty for the same favor.

Both women shuffled sleepily through her morning rounds at the hospital, grateful that it was quiet. It should have been their day off, but a stomach virus was wending its way through the staff, even sending Mrs. Grundy back to her bed. Bella thanked her lucky stars that her shift was only for a few hours. Not only had the night before been a late one, but she had promised see Jacob off before the group left for their mission.

Hand in hand, they had walked back to the base the previous evening, leaving Embry and Betty to drive home on their own. Neither one were quite ready to face the coming dawn, both wanted to delay the inevitable for as long as they possibly could. Strolling leisurely down the winding road, they gazed at the stars, remembering years long past filled with campfires and song. Each reflecting once more on how connected their lives had always been.

The course of their friendship had shifted. Both felt the change keenly, though neither one regretted it or wished that they could turn back the clock. It now seemed as inevitable as the sun rising in the East. Fate had interceded on their behalf long ago, binding them together in a new way, the simple love of childhood fading softly into the background.

When the worn red brick of the dormitory loomed ahead in the distance, Jacob stopped abruptly, pulling her into his arms. There was so much he wanted to say in that moment, so many promises to be made, but instead he swallowed them back, simply hoping to glimpse her pretty face again the next day.

"Bella, I'd really like to see you tomorrow before I take off. I know this can't be easy for you, but will you come and tell me goodbye?"

Twining her fingers with his, Bella brought both to rest symbolically over her fluttering heart. Looking steadily into his eyes she told him, "No. I won't say goodbye. I'll come and I'll kiss you for luck, but it won't be goodbye. You're coming back to me."

For what felt like the thousandth time, Bella reached in her apron, rubbing her fingertips over the cool, silver surface of the treasure concealed within. Early that morning she had slipped her mother's Saint Christopher medal into her pocket with the intention of giving it to Jake before his flight. Not a day went by in their young lives when either child had not seen it dangling from her mother's neck.

While Renee had been raised in a devoutly Catholic family, Charlie was not. Yet he loved her enough to override the will of his Protestant roots. Defying both his parents and the Methodist church by taking her for his wife, he also allowed her to raise their daughter in the same manner as her mother before her. After Renee's death, Bella no longer attended Mass. She had not the heart to walk into a church where candles were lit for the dead. For some it might have provided a small semblance of comfort, but for Bella it was an animated reminder of all she had lost in her young life.

Charlie had never found his way back to either church, save for attending on what he deemed 'the important holidays', Easter and Christmas. But Bella went weekly with her grandmother until she too passed away from the earth. A pillar of the little wooden Methodist church, Bella took her place as best she could, but she was only a girl, not the woman who had been the cornerstone of their small community.

Whenever Bella felt her own courage begin to fail her, she would open her jewelry box, removing her mother's medal from the padded velvet resting place to wear around her neck. It was only an object, a symbol to many, she knew. But for her it was a tangible reminder of a mother's love. When she wore it she could almost feel Renee's gentle, motherly touch upon her shoulder.

Today she would give it to Jacob and pray that Saint Christopher would guide him safely through battle.

It was nearing eleven when the relief nurses arrived to take their place. Bella and Betty tore from the building hell for leather, running as fast as their little legs could carry them toward the airfield, waving wildly at the passing trucks, in an effort to get one of them to stop. When a jeep overflowing with soldiers offered them a lift, both silently blessed the kind souls who had remembered Bella from her performance.

The airmen were rewarded with smiles of gratitude and swift kisses to the cheek as well as a promise that Bella would sing for them again. Anything so long as they took them where they needed to go. Several of men, missing their wives or sweethearts back home, reveled in the gentle feel of a woman's touch again, praying it would not be the last time.

Arriving wind-blown and breathless, the girls leapt from the jeep without so much as a backward glance at the men who had rescued them. The flight crew was just beginning to climb into the belly of the plane when they heard her desperate cry carried on the wind.

"Wait! Jacob! Wait!" Bella cried, stumbling through the green grass.

Hands gripping the sides of the hatch, Jacob heard her and turned. Sporting a sheepskin collar bomber jacket and dark sunglasses under his brimmed cap, he bore the striking image of a storybook hero come to life. But nothing could obscure the joy that washed over his face when he saw Bella speeding towards him.

"Bells!" Jacob pulled her into his arms, breathing in her life. The satiny feel of her hair, the scent of lavender that clung to her skin calmed his senses and eased the nervousness that had begun to build when he had found out where they were going. He tried desperately not to show it, not wanting to worry his men, but real fear had pierced his heart during briefing that morning. Relief was evident in his trembling voice when he whispered against her lips. "I was starting to think you wouldn't make it."

"We almost didn't." Bella nodded over at Betty who was caught in Embry's firm embrace. "She managed to flag down a jeep and we hitched a ride."

Smiling at her with so much love that it hurt, he swore to the heavens to do all he could to protect the men who had brought her to him today. "Which crew? I'll have to thank them later."

"Stars-n-Stripes." She hoped that was right, glad to have paid attention to the name of their outfit emblazoned on the back of the men's jackets.

"Yeah, they're good guys, some of the best. I'm glad they're gonna be up there with us."

The ground crew was busy removing the blocks from the wheels and Bella knew their time was drawing short. "Jake, I want you to have this."

She pressed the cool metal medallion into his palm, closing his fingers around it. Tears formed in Jacob's eyes at the seemingly simple gesture, vividly recalling the days when Bella's own mother had worn it. The small slip of a girl who stood before him knew exactly what he needed, not just today, but always.

"It's for good luck," she stated, allowing the small piece of jewelry to explain what words could not, knowing that Jacob would understand.

Hugging her tightly, Jacob rested his cheek on the soft, silk of her hair. "You're my luck. All I'll ever need." He meant it, with his whole heart. Cradling her face between his strong hands, Jacob kissed her tenderly, from the heart. Willing her to understand all that he felt for her in that moment, silently praying to be granted the gift of seeing her lovely face at the end of the day.

"Hey, Black, we have to go!" Paul shouted down from the window. Jacob grinned sheepishly,looking around, realizing he was the last man standing. All around them engines were whirring, a hazy trail of smoke and the acrid odor of gasoline wafted heavily through the cool morning air.

"I'll be back," he whispered, gray eyes full of promise. Then leading her over to Betty, Jacob placed their small hands together, as if entrusting the two women to each other's care.

The two women stood arm in arm, watching the boys they loved wave and smile cheerfully at them from inside the cold confines of the plane.

Just as Paul began to slide the pilot's window closed, Bella rushed forward, cupping her tiny hands around her mouth and shouting at the top of her lungs. "Paul, you bring him back to me, you hear? Or I'll never forgive you!"

"I'll do my best, Bella!" he yelled cheerfully, then pointed toward the clear blue sky. "The rest is up to God."

"Paul! Be safe! I expect you to come back to me too!"

Winking in reply, Paul slid the window shut waving one last time while Jacob signaled the ground crew.

The two women stood with their arms wound tightly around each other's waists, drawing from one another's strength while watching the mighty B-17 taxi down the runway to take off for the unknown.

Betty's eyes glistened, her voice thick and clogged with tears. "They're going to Dresden. Embry told me, just now before they left."

Squeezing her tightly in reply, Bella fought back her own desire to weep. "Don't think about it," she whispered, thinking that if perhaps they didn't think about it, it wouldn't be real. As if it would all be nothing more than a dream they could wake from, starting the day anew with laughter and joy instead of the relentless fear that stabbed at her heart.

When they could no longer see the planes in the sky, Bella drew from the courage of women who had come before her. "Let's go back to the hospital." she suggested. "It'll go by faster if we keep busy. Otherwise I'm going to pace around and watch the sky. They won't be back for hours..." neither one said it, but the words hung in the air ominously like a dense fog.

_If ever_._.._

Time passed slowly that afternoon, the quiet tick of the clock echoing through the corridors, seemingly mocking them. Their shift at the hospital had long since been over, but Bella and Betty stayed, rolling bandages, sorting out supplies... anything to keep their hands busy. Their thoughts never strayed far from the boys, each looking out the window in a sort of silent desperation. As if by sheer will they could make their plane magically appear unscathed.

Throughout the long day, each could be seen often whispering a prayer, offering their souls up to the heavens if God would only see fit to return their friends safely home.

When the first sounds of engines roared through the sky, the girls dropped what they were doing, tearing pell mell through the hospital doors to watch the return.

Joining a small crowd of soldiers, they listened intently as each plane that came in was counted and recognized. An hour later, less than half of them had arrived with no sign of their boys in sight.

Dread coursed through Bella's veins, icy cold, penetrating deep into the most secret confines of her soul. One by one, more planes slowly returned, but with each passing minute her racing heart began to betray her. Soon planes were coming in, crippled from the fight. Some landing on their bellies, others crashing down on one wheel. A wing tore up the bright green sod of the landing strip, plowing through the rich, black earth below and arcing it into a tidal wave of dust and dirt.

Then... there was nothing.

A full half hour passed without so much as a sound save the birds who chirped merrily in the trees. Then suddenly, just as hope had begun to fade, breaking through the clouds, three more planes came into sight, engines spluttering, their metal sides riddled and pockmarked from flying through a hail of gunfire.

Bella recognized the nameless plane in an instant. Jacob had indeed returned. "It's them!" she cried jumping into Betty's arms. "Oh Betty, they're back!" Tears streaked down her face, the nervous ball in her stomach easing with relief.

So wrapped up in her own joy, Bella had failed to notice the heavy black smoke trailing from the right engine, nor the spiderweb of cracked glass that had just hours before been the shiny, clean window from which Embry had waved them goodbye. Looking over Betty's shoulder, Bella gasped in real fear. "My God." Pushing her friend away, she raced out to the landing strip ignoring the protests of the guards, shaking them off with no more than sheer speed and determination.

Sirens blared all around. Ground crews were already extinguishing the dangerous flames in the right engine. The caustic smell of burning oil singed the inside of her nose. Men were being carefully lowered down on stretchers through the belly hatch of the damaged plane. Bella's heart filled with dread when Embry's broken body emerged into sight.

Never tearing her eyes off of the man who lay unconscious before her, she quickly tried to assess the damage. "What happened?" she demanded from one of the the men who were placing him on the ground.

"Got caught in the crossfire. Bullet went through the window and hit him in the shoulder. Passed out from the pain, I reckon. It's better that way."

Ripping away the heavy leather jacket, she gasped when it revealed a makeshift bandage that had been placed over the wound. Blood poured out of the gaping hole where cold, twisted metal had torn flesh from bone.

Leaping to her feet, Bella quickly divested herself of the thin cotton slip she wore under her uniform, tearing it two. Then covering the wound with both hands, tried to staunch the endless flow of blood spilling from Embry's shoulder. Bella watched in silent horror as the crisp white fabric turned crimson beneath her fingertips.

Her courage began to fail, floating away from her body in waves. The earth spun violently in a sick kaleidoscope of color. Shades of brilliant green and blue swirled fiery orange, coalescing into the black shade of death. A brutal nightmare of sound and smell to terrify the senses. Momentarily stunned by everything she saw, Bella tried with all her might to shake the feeling of being dragged underwater, drawing in giant gulps of tainted air.

These men needed her. Embry needed her.

None of her training, not the hospital back home nor field stations she visited, had prepared her for this moment. Knowing she needed to place her own emotions aside and concentrate on the patient, Bella willed herself to do just that. Yet seeing the boy she had played with as a child lying there hurt, the same one whom she had laughed with and loved, knocked her off her tiny feet.

In the background she could hear Betty screaming at the MP's to let her by, her rank meaning nothing to them. Another man was lowered to the ground, with what looked to be an engine rag wound around his head.

The world was capsizing all around her. Her heart pounded wildly, a vortex of emotions swirling, threatening to pull her down into the black abyss. The earth beneath her feet shuddered as another plane crashed violently to the ground. The sound of metal on metal screeching forced her to clap her hands over her ears while startling her back to her wits. Fountains of water arced from the trucks, warding off an explosion. The tell tale scent of gasoline and fire hung thickly in the air.

It was madness, all of it. She didn't know where to begin. The wailing sirens of the ambulance were getting closer when Betty suddenly appeared at her side, grief stricken and panicked. "Stay with him!" she shouted. "He's been shot. Keep the pressure on this shoulder."

Bella tore wildy over to the other man, unwinding the dirty rag, gasping in horror at what she found. Skin and hair had been torn from the side of his head, revealing bits of shattered bone and tissue. Quickly placing the other half of her slip on the wound, Bella tried but failed to stop the rushing flow of blood. Never in her life had she felt more helpless. Looking into his bright blue eyes, she recognized him as the man who had asked her so animatedly about the White Sox just days before. Bella wracked her brain, trying to recall his name.

Moaning in agony, still conscious through the awful torment, the man somehow managed to grasp Bella's arm with what little strength he had left. He begged her with his eyes, lips spluttering blood, struggling with the words. "Will I be okay?"

There was nothing she could do but stroke the bloody tangle of hair away from his eyes. "Yes, yes. You're going to be just fine Lester. The doctors are going to take good care of you and you'll get to go back to Chicago and sit in the stands eating hotdogs and cursing out the umpire," she soothed, praying it wasn't a lie. "Sshhh... rest easy now. The ambulance is almost here."

"Tell Maggie, tell her I love her..." he gasped before mercifully slipping into unconsciousness.

More and more men were emerging from the planes and Bella gasped when Paul dropped down, an angry gash marring his cheek. Then holding her breath until Jacob appeared, she sighed in relief, making eye contact with him briefly before shouting that she needed Betty's help. That one look anchored her back in place, giving her the much needed courage to carry on.

Both men sped to Embry's side, obeying like dogs when the small woman barked orders at them to keep pressure on the wound. They might have outranked her, but this was Betty's situation to control.

Then chasing over to Bella, she too ripped the slip out from under her dress. "What can I do?" she asked.

"Stay with him. The skull is shattered and the medics are almost here. Make sure they take him first."

Bella ran to the next man who lay on the ground, pale, blood spurting from his leg like a broken drinking fountain. Stripping off her stocking to use as a makeshift tourniquet, Bella tied it tightly, effectively halting the crimson spray. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," she assured him, hoping that he wouldn't lose the leg.

When the ambulance screeched to a halt, Bella and Betty both screamed at the emergency workers, telling them which of the injured were critical. Another plane had touched down nearby and Bella could see more battered men being carefully lowered to the ground. Shouting for Paul to come over, she quickly issued instructions to keep the bleeding from starting again on the leg until the medics could take him, all the while staring at the angry looking cut on his cheek.

"Don't worry. Ain't nothin' but a scratch Bells. I'm fine," he assured her.

"Get over to the hospital after they're done here," she ordered. "That needs to be cleaned and stitched."

For the next hour, the two women cared for the wounded and closed the eyes of the dead. Anger boiled in Bella's veins like molten lava. _Hate did this, _she thought, swearing vengeance on any enemy who crossed her path.

Hopping into the last ambulance, Bella hitched a ride back to the hospital to see what more she could do. Mrs. Grundy met her at the door, telling her to rest, but she would have none of it until she knew what had become of Embry.

"He's still in surgery, Miss Swan." The usually stoic woman patted her hand compassionately. "Why don't you go wash your face. Clean up a little. No sense in frightening him when he wakes up, dear."

Stepping into the washroom, Bella looked into the mirror and stared aghast at the image she found. The pins which had that morning held her hair sleekly in place were torn loose, leaving her pretty brown curls a wild mass of witches snarls. Blood and soot coated her face giving her the appearance of a lone survivor in a horrific battle.

Broken images from the field replayed through her mind like a bad movie. The rusty odor of blood and fire still burned her nostrils, clinging to her clothes, seemingly embedded into her pores. Bile rose in her throat, stomach lurching and contracting in a violent reaction of fear, disgust and the most wretched of all sorrows.

_Death_.

Closing her eyes and drawing in a deep steadying breath, she leaned on the sink in an effort to brace her weakened body from collapsing to the cold, tiled floor. She counted to ten, willing the last ounce of her strength to return.

It was too much.

Tears streaked down her cheeks, only to be wiped away with blood-stained fingers. Quickly flipping on the faucets, Bella scrubbed her hands raw, watching the awful swirl of pink wash against the pristine white porcelain bowl. Hate had done this. Never before had she borne witness to such violence and it rocked her to the very core of her soul. There was no glory to war. It was just a fallacy created and propagated to deepen the pockets of men who only cared about gripping headlines that sold newspapers. Today had served to confirm that belief, rooting it deep into her soul. It was the epitaph of every man who had died before her eyes today. Numbered and tallied by their dogtags, families awaiting the dreaded Western Union telegrams.

Somewhere in the world, mothers, daughters and sisters were threading their needles, sewing together starry backgrounds to float on brilliant waves of white and red. Symbols of freedom that would never wave proudly against the bluest of skies. Fated to serve as blankets covering knotty pine.

With tremendous guilt, she thought of Jacob, thanking God that he was counted amongst the survivors.

Ten minutes later and slightly more composed thanks to Mrs. Grundy's suggestion, Bella walked with grim determination out of the washroom, searching for something to do. Eyes alighting on Paul, she jerked her head at him, signalling that he should follow.

Picking up medical supplies, her hands trembled ever so slightly, clattering the sterile instruments against the cold steel tray. Wordlessly, she cleaned the cut, then stitched the wound. Each pass of the needle sent her emotions zigzagging and had her gasping for air.

Only when she finished the task did Paul catch her by the wrist, looking her square in the eye. "Bella, it's fine. We're all ok," he reminded her gently but sternly, refusing to placate her with false words of comfort. _Tell the truth or shame the devil_, he thought. "I know that it's hard to take in, but this is our reality. It's what we live with. If you walk away from Jake today, he'll understand. Just know that he loves you. We all do. But this fight, it's something greater than ourselves. There's evil in this world and we can't allow the madness of men to take it over. This isn't just for today, tomorrow, next week or even next month. We're doing this for our children's children. We're willing to give our lives so that they can survive. Do you understand?"

Swallowing hard, she looked at him with an intensity that would strike fear into the stone cold heart of the meanest Nazi fighter. "I'm not going anywhere Paul."

"Come here." Wrapping her in his arms, Paul protected her in the way he had since they were children. She was their family, heart and soul. No matter what women came into their lives, none would hold the same place in their hearts that Bella Swan did.

"Bella, have you heard anything about Les?"

Shaking her head with regret at what she was about to tell him, Bella delivered the news that would be the crushing blow on an already horrible day. "No, he's probably still in surgery. I won't lie to you, it doesn't look good. I've seen wounds like that before. If he recovers, he may not be the same. They'll send him back home."

"He's a gunner, you know. Took down four before he got hit and kept on firing away after he did." Paul's usually carefree facade crumbled a little. "He saved our asses today."

"When he wakes up, tell him that. Make sure he knows his sacrifice wasn't in vain." Hesitantly, she asked the question she needed an answer to. "Paul, where's Jake?"

"Debriefing. He'll be here as soon as they let him go. I'd be stuck there too if it weren't for that bullet grazing my cheek. Went back there to check on Les and caught a stray."

"Can you tell me what happened, Paul?"

"Are you sure you wanna hear this?" he asked. Bella only nodded her head once, telling him to continue. "We got the job done, flew through all kinds of flack. Hell, the skies were black with it. Things went pretty smooth, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Our fighters took out some of theirs, but by the time the Germans got up in the air, we'd dropped our payload and were already headed back.

Then it was like all hell broke loose. They were all over us, came outta nowhere... damn Nazi's went crazy attacking us. I kept seeing our planes go down one by one... at least two of them had to bail out. If they're lucky the French'll find 'em first. I'd shoot myself before I let a damned Nazi have me," he declared vehemently, his normally cheerful facade crumbling to dust.

Bella sat on the narrow hospital bed next to Paul, placing her arms around him. For the first time in her life she was the one to hold him up in times of trouble. After a second, he managed a small smile for her, but regret for those who were lost resounded clearly in his voice. "Those Hun's know what torture is."

"Anyhow, we were only about 40 miles away from home when one of the engines got hit. It took everything we had to get her back here. Darn good thing Jake knows how to crash land like a pro. Wheels weren't coming down right, half the guys had to go back and hand crank 'em. I swear, Bella, we were lucky. Jake had Renee's medal in his fist the whole time. I think both of your moms must have been whispering in God's ears today."

"I'm sure they were," she agreed, pulling him to his feet and urging him forward. "Come on, let's go see if there's any word yet."

Bella led Paul down the corridor into the recovery area, where they spotted Betty sitting next to Embry, clasping his hand, looking like she'd been to the pit of hell and back. Muddy streaks marked her face where a river of tears had smeared blood and black soot together. But her eyes shone with tremendous relief when she spoke to them.

"He's ok. He'll be alright. The bullet went right through his shoulder, shouldn't have any lasting damage. The doctors say he'll go home in a few weeks."

"Thank you, God," breathed Bella, lightly kissing Embry's sweaty brow. The very idea of the strong, caring man she had known since his boyhood permanently damaged would have shattered her heart into a thousand pieces.

Paul observed the two women who had suffered a horrible and terrifying blow today. Disheveled, their clothes dirty with blood and ash, he wondered just how many of his fellow airmen owed the two their lives today. If only half of the men fighting in this war were made of such fine mettle as the two brave, sweet girls before him, they'd lick the axis powers in a month.

"Look, why don't you girls go back to the dorm, get yourselves cleaned up," he offered. "I'll sit here with Em in case he wakes up."

"I'm not leaving him, Paul. I can't," Betty whispered brokenly, clutching Embry's weak hand tightly, her eyes never straying from his sleeping face.

"Bella, you go," she urged. "Bring me back some clean clothes. I'll straighten up here after he wakes up."

"Ok. If he comes to, tell him I'll be back as soon as I can."

Her heart was heavy when she walked through the front doors of the hospital. Today war had slapped her in the face. Bella was sure the sting wouldn't go away any time soon.

It was then that she saw Jacob's impressive figure striding towards her. Bella rushed forward eagerly with only one purpose in mind. To finally say the words that were bursting inside of her heart.

Bella hurled herself into Jacob's waiting arms.

Kissing her hard, attacking her mouth fervently in a shameless display of emotion, he wanted to keep her with him forever, lost in a world that belonged only to the two of them.

Bella pushed him away, tears evident in eyes full of devotion, caressing his cheeks with soft hands as if needing to reassure herself that he was real and not some figment of the imagination.

"I love you too, Jake. I love you so much."


	9. Chapter 8

Every overwhelming emotion of the day transformed her senses, causing tears to pour from her eyes just as the faintest glimmer showed in the corners of his own. It had to be a dream, such things reserved only for sleep. A terrifying nightmare whose protective blades fell away, petals magically unfolding into something harmonious and sweet. The honeyed words that passed over her pink lips, balm to a tired, aching soul.

Jacob cradled her face in his hands, gently wiping away the wetness from her cheeks. The boy in him needed to hear it again to know it wasn't just a just a trick of the imagination, feeding his ears with what his heart so desperately longed to hear. "Do you mean it, Bells?" he asked, sounding so much like the young boy she used to know who exacted childhood promises of silly secrets shared between them.

Nodding vigorously, the words spilled forth releasing days of bottled up emotion. Erupting like a volcano and flowing into the water like slow fingers of brilliant light . "Yes, I love you. I want you. I love you, Jake."

The declaration lit his soul on fire, magnifying everything he already felt for her ten-fold. Jacob kissed her then, slow and with purpose, absolving all of the carefully secreted away hopes that lay hidden beneath a facade of innate male confidence and swagger.

Today he'd been more afraid than at any time in his life. The rain of bullets and flack that tore through the skies claiming plane after plane had frightened him beyond reason. Sitting in the cockpit and clutching the yoke tightly, his first and only thoughts should have been of his men, country and the mission they had to do. Instead his mind focused on Bella. She filled him, consuming and painting his every thought.

Unequivocally, he would trade his life for the war, the cause he believed so wholeheartedly in without fear or regret. Yet when the ground rushed beneath him, threatening to swallow them whole, it had been the idea that he may never see her again- that his eyes could forever close from this earth without hearing that simple declaration of love pass over her lips- which both frightened and sustained him. A hope so profound that it gave him the determination to not just survive... but live.

A vivid dream began to form in his mind. One that stretched through the years, unwinding into a never-ending road. It would would start with making this woman his, not just for today or tomorrow, but always.

Jacob's strong arms wrapped around her tightly, cradling her to his chest. His own body shuddered involuntarily, wracked with emotion while his hands sought and touched every part of her in reach. Clutching her with a sort of wild desperation, unwilling to let her slip away from his arms, his voice choked and was barely audible when he finally spoke. "You're all I could think about today. I knew I had to make it back to you." Soft brown curls, warmed by the summer sun, dried the lone tear that had escaped from his eyes when he rested his cheek atop her head.

"How's Em?" he whispered.

"Fine. In recovery. Paul and Betty are with him, waiting for him to wake up. The bullet went straight through, but Jake, they're going to send him home."

Jacob flinched slightly at the news, the set of his jaw having been braced for defeat. Replacing Embry would be hard. Every inch the military man, his thoughts drifted automatically to work and the tangled fate of his dwindling flight crew. "Les?"

"I don't know yet." It was an answer that broke her heart to give him. No amount of false truth could serve to alleviate the gravity of the situation. So, Bella answered honestly, a dying man's voice lingering prophetically in the back of her mind. _Tell Maggie I love her..._

"I won't lie, I've seen those kind of injuries before. If he pulls through, he may not ever be the same."

Jacob absorbed the fact with more ease than she could have dared hope. While Les was not an old friend, the men who comprised the flight crew were a family. Perhaps it was simply because each of them lived with and breathed the distinct possibility of loss each and every day. She couldn't be certain, but something told her that they had gone through this before, the wait and inevitable sorrow that accompanied such loss. He seemed to have composed himself somehow and for now, that was enough.

There was nothing anyone could do but wait.

Grinning down at her, Jacob couldn't help the swell of pride that overflowed from the edges of his already full heart. A small smudge of dirt still clung to her jaw, her clothes caked with muddy earth and the heart's blood of courageous men. Each stain a medal of honor hard won on the field of battle. She was as brave as any soldier he'd ever encountered, possibly even more so. "You were a hero today, Bells," he told her, believing it with every fibre of his being.

Bella wilted under his praise, feeling like anything but. "No, I wasn't," she disagreed. "I only did what anyone else would have under the same circumstances."

Jacob rested his hands upon her shoulders, determined that she see herself in the same light. "Yes you were. You kept your wits about you, pushed past your own fears and did what you had to. I'm proud of you, Bells. We all are."

Even now, standing before him, her countenance weary from everything life had handed her, Bella Swan was still the prettiest thing he ever clamped eyes on. "You're so beautiful."

She laughed a little hollowly, eyes still wet with tears and her throat raw from inhaling black smoke and soot. Bella pressed her hands over her face, hiding the deep, rose-colored blush that crept up her cheeks under Jacob's intense scrutiny. "No.. I'm a wreck. I was just heading over to get cleaned up. Betty refuses to leave Embry, so I promised that I'd bring her back some decent clothes."

Draping a strong, steadying arm across her shoulders and dropping a flutter of a kiss on her temple, Jacob's long even strides propelled her forward. "I'll walk you. While you get ready, I'm going to head back to the barrack and do the same. I'll be here when you're done and we'll go over to check on Embry and Les together."

It was only a few steps later when she kissed him goodbye in front of the dormitory, then wearily dragged her tired feet into her room. No sooner than closing the door behind her, Bella stripped herself of her uniform, realizing it was beyond washing when she spied the ugly singe marks where stray embers had fallen, burning through the once crisp, white fabric.

Filthy from head to toe and wondering if the cloying scent of burning oil would ever leave her skin, she turned on the faucets of the old clawfoot tub. Then making her way to the closet, pulled out a small, but cherished luxury. A little sachet of dried lavender. Pressing her nose to the cloth, she breathed deeply, drawing in the summer sunshine and thick, green meadows of home. Tossing it into the water, she climbed in and stretched her legs, hoping to float the cares of the day away.

The warmth of the bath nearly lulled her to sleep. Every bone in her body ached, each muscle weak with fatigue. The silence of the room seemed loud. Deafening somehow, compared the violent pandemonium of the airfield today. Vaguely, Bella wondered if she'd ever know what peace was like again.

Her eyes fluttered closed, but the images of Jacob's plane crashing to the ground flashed behind her lids in slow motion. No matter how hard she tried to erase them, to think of something pleasant, her mind betrayed her. The pictures repeated over and over like a broken movie reel, treating her to a front row seat.

Perhaps it was because it was still too fresh, her thoughts barely removed from the afternoon. Or, maybe it was that she was never supposed to forget. So, she concentrated her efforts on getting clean instead. Scrubbing every inch of her skin with vigor until she was sure that no trace of dirt, blood or fear remained.

Running on adrenaline, Bella quickly dressed, tossing on some slacks and a soft cotton blouse. Unsure of what the night would bring, she wanted to be comfortable in her skin. On her shoulder was a bag stuffed hodgepodge with a few of Betty's things that she'd quickly pulled from the closet.

As much as she wanted to get back to the hospital and check on Embry, a large part of her would have liked to crawl into bed and pull the covers tightly over her head in the same fashion a small child would. To hide herself away from the dark and mourn the loss of her own girlish innocence today. It was a part of her soul that could never be recovered, and what's more, she knew it.

The day had brought with it much more than anticipated in that early morning hour when insistent knocking had roused her from peaceful dreams. In those few short hours that hovered between golden afternoon and sunset, all traces of the girl she once was had fallen away. In her place had emerged a woman, schooled in the best and worst parts of mankind.

True to his word, Jacob was waiting when Bella emerged from the building less than an hour later. The sun was dipping below the horizon when they picked their way across the base and back to the hospital to check on the fate of their friends and family.

Mrs. Grundy was bustling about in the entry, a cream-colored stack of medical charts in her capable hands, looking much more tired and careworn than her fifty years should have allowed. The creases of her brow appeared deeper somehow and the strands of grey that threaded her hair shone prominently under the harsh lighting from above.

"Jake, hold on a second." As much as she wanted to get back to Embry, Bella needed to speak with the older nurse.

"Excuse me, Mildred, how is Lester? The man who came in with the head wound."

The old nurse looked at her over half-moon glasses with a mixture of sympathy and pride, well aware of what Bella had gone through that day. She'd been in her shoes herself, during the first great war. It seemed like a lifetime ago. "They just placed him in recovery. As you know it'll be touch and go for the next 48 hours. All we can do is wait and hope he wakes up."

"I understand. Should something happen I'd like to be able to contact his family. He wanted me to tell his wife that he loves her"

"That can be arranged. Your friend is awake, by the way. He's lost a lot of blood, but it doesn't appear that there's any nerve damage. He was quite lucky, actually."

Bella hesitated, the next part of her plan surprising Jacob but not the wise eyes that seemed to know everything that happened on the base and not just the four walls that were her kingdom. "That's the other thing I need to speak to you about. Do you know when they will send him home?"

"That will be arranged by the doctors and military transport personnel," she stated, although Bella knew full well that nothing happened without her say so. "Am I correct in assuming that you wish to stay and go back with him?"

"Yes, if that's possible."

"I don't see why not. As you can now see, we can always use an extra pair of hands here." She looked at Bella appraisingly, genuinely pleased with what she found. "I must say that after today, I'll be quite sorry to lose you when you return home. You're an excellent nurse. Since you're not enlisted, I can't arrange a post for you, however, I may put in a request that you return here when the next rotation comes up if you wish."

Bella smiled gratefully at the older woman whom she had judged so harshly on the first day of their arrival. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Nurse Swan. You girls did an excellent job out there today. I've seen many experienced women lose it completely when faced with real emergencies. This afternoon you showed courage and discipline, putting the other men who needed medical attention above your friends. I will make certain that it is known. If I'm not mistaken, Betty will move up in rank for today's actions." Her eyes lit on Jacob, nodding briefly to him in a mutual sign of respect. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of paperwork to do."

Jacob squeezed her hand tightly with a grin that could only be translated as an unspoken I_ told you_ and said, "I'm proud of you, Bells."

She could only smile weakly in return, still unsure of what she had done to garner so much praise from everyone. "Come on, I'll take you to Em."

When they walked into the room, Embry was alert, albeit numbed to the pain from a heavy dose of morphine, smiling drunkenly to boot. "Hey Jake! About time you got here!"

Jacob crossed the small room in three long strides and patted his buddy on his good shoulder in greeting. "Yeah, sorry," he apologized. "Debriefing took a long time. How you feelin'?"

"Are you kidding? I'm great!" Embry slurred. "Can't feel a thing! Woke up and saw a pretty girl sitting next to me. Doesn't get better than that. Speaking of... Bella, get yourself over here and give me a hug."

Bella laughed heartily at her friend's drugged enthusiasm. The singular jocularity of his personality shining through even during the worst of times. "You know Em, if you wanted to go home, I woulda shot you in the foot or something," she teased, unable to resist the chance to poke fun of him for once instead of the other way around.

Embry shook his head thoughtfully, as if picturing her trying to figure out the the mechanics of a shotgun, let alone aim and fire. "Nah, you woulda taken off my toe," he stated decidedly. "Besides, who says I'm going home?"

Jacob cleared his throat and forced a smile on his face, determined to make the best of a bad situation. "Em, they're not giving you a choice. You're Washington bound."

Perched on the bedside, Bella patted his hand soothingly, her voice bright... too bright for the current circumstances. "I've already made arrangements to stay until they send you back. If you have to be in the hospital after we get home, I'll make sure that you're assigned to me."

Morphine or not, Embry could sense the distress in her and did his best to make light of it. "Well, this is a fine situation. I get to leave with your girl Jake, and you get to stay here with mine."

Every eye in the room had focused on Betty after his outburst. Embry cocked his head, questioning, "You are my girl, right?"

Betty's jaw dropped to the floor. Every inch of her, from the top of her head to her tiny toes burned with embarrassment. Before she could form the words with her lips, Embry turned to Jacob, gesturing wildly. "Hey Jake, maybe we can make it a double wedding. Marry these lucky dames before I gotta shove off. Whatcha think? We could kipe one of the planes and hit up Paris for a honeymoon."

The sheer absurdity of his plan was too much. Jacob shook with laughter, the first real laugh he'd had since yesterday, shaking the rafters with the boom of it. "I think that's the morphine talking, Em. Bella, why don't you save Betty some embarrassment and help her get cleaned up. I'll stay here with dopey until you two come back."

"Sounds good," agreed Embry, completely ignorant of the fact that he was being pacified. "I sent Paul to grab us a bottle of rye and a couple of glasses. He oughta be back soon and we can celebrate in style!"

Noticing his eyes widen in horror at the very idea of adding anything to Embry's already potent cocktail of drugs, Betty bent over and whispered in Jake's ear as she passed him by. "I gave Paul something to help with the pain and sent him to rest. Embry will probably pass out again soon."

"One can only hope," he muttered under his breath while the girls disappeared from sight.

Much to Jacob's chagrin, Embry didn't stop with the word vomit. It just kept spewing from his mouth like a kid sick on penny candies. "So, Jake... Did you ask Bella to marry you yet?"

Rolling his eyes and crossing his fingers that his friend would pass out sooner than later Jacob could only mollify him in response. Albeit a little sarcastically. "Em, that's the drugs talking. It's only been a few days anyway."

"Hell, I ain't as high as they think I am," he snorted. "Few days, nothin'. More like 20 years. You two have been headed this way since we were kids. Want my advice? Put a ring on her finger before someone else does."

Doped or not, that revelation struck home with Jacob. Hitting and stinging like a bucket of ice cold water being thrown on him, the statement brought something to the forefront of his mind. "You think there's anyone else? I never did ask her that."

"How should I know?", Embry responded, gesturing wildly with his good arm, clearly exasperated at his oldest buddy's extreme cluelessness. "Pretty girl like that? I'm sure there's plenty of young bucks lined up around the block to take her out on the town. You'd best get Charlie on your side and stick a little something on that finger before she gets smart and changes her mind about you."

Jacob rubbed his temples in aggravation. Between that horrifying thought and Embry's incessant babble- however misguided it might be- the beginning stages of a headache were starting to throb in his brain. "How about you concentrate on getting better and forget about my love life for a bit. Besides, you'll be back home to scare 'em all off anyhow. Don't think that just because you're getting out that you don't still report to me."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they leave her alone," he promised. "Ain't _nobody _gonna make a move on Bells when I'm around. 'Sides, I don't plan on being out long. I'm comin' back just as soon as I can," he stated, words slurring and eyes starting to droop fast from the potent dose of morphine he was under.

"Yeah, ok tough guy. Why don't you get some sleep?" Jacob advised, knowing it would be a matter of minutes before the guy was out like a light.

By the time the girls came back, Embry was sawing logs loud enough to shake down the building. Jake grinned sheepishly. "Told you he never shuts his mouth."

"Since he's asleep, why don't we all go get some dinner?" Suggested Bella. Anything to get away from the sterility of the hospital after today would prove to be a blessing.

Reluctant to leave his side, Betty declined the offer. "You two go ahead. I- I want to stay here," she stammered shyly, her long lashes fluttering, unable to tear her eyes away from Embry's sleeping face.

Bella understood how she felt and could not blame her for not wanting to leave. If the circumstances had been reversed, it would be her, chained to Jacob as if her life depended on it. "Can we bring you anything?" she offered.

"No, I'll be fine." Betty yawned widely and waved them goodbye. "I'll see you in the morning."

Glancing backward, the last thing Bella saw was Betty stretching out in the cramped bed next to Embry, curving into the warmth of his body and joining him in sleep.

Needing to get away from everyone and everything, Jacob drove them into the little village, having swiped the keys to Embry's packard when he went back to the barracks earlier. Neither one said much during the ride. The day had been a long one, filled with so much that could not be put into words. Bella leaned sleepily into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and content just to be next to him. Both took solace in each others company, counting the small blessings life afforded them.

Jacob led her into the little pub from the other day, tucking into a corner table of the darkened room. They blended seamlessly into the evening crowd, a small feat for which he was grateful. In this place they could be themselves. Not a pilot or a nurse, but a young couple in love with each other. Love that was evident to anyone who saw them together that night. They looked at each other with clear adoration in the dim candlelight, their bodies unconsciously leaning towards one another, clasping hands across the old wooden table.

Dinner was a quiet affair, punctuated by soft smiles and gentle caresses. Yet Bella knew there was something on Jacob's mind beyond the tragedies of the day. There was a sort of nervousness that lurked just below the surface and she desperately wanted to know what was troubling him. "What is it, Jake? You can tell me," she urged.

Jacob smiled wanly, signalling the barmaid for another beer. His nerves were shot and he wasn't sure how to broach the subject of other men with her.

"Bells, we should really talk. All this happened so fast. I never even bothered to ask if there was somebody back home. There isn't, is there?" The very idea of his girl hanging on the arm of another man was more than he could bear. Anger, ugly and unwarranted at a faceless nobody reared its ugly head inside of him, while he swallowed it all back in bitter self-disgust.

"No. I promise, there's nobody but you," she stated, seeing the relief he clearly felt wash over his face. In truth, she knew now that there never had been anyone but him. He wasn't finished. She knew that too. "There's more, Jake. I know you. Tell me what else is on your mind."

Pausing for a minute, Jacob thanked the woman who shuffled over with another pint and made polite small talk with her while she cleared away their empty plates. In the background, an old wooden radio squawked out a rusty tune, interrupted now and again by urgent news bulletins. In a village as small as this one, what happened earlier was already being whispered about in every home and over every dinner table for miles. Both were reasonably sure the woman who was usually so sullen was lingering to try and pump him for information.

When she finally walked away empty-handed, Jacob turned his attention back on Bella, determined to say once and for all what had been plaguing his mind since that first night together. The very reason he was so worried about starting a relationship with her.

"Bells, today, well, you saw how dangerous this can be. I'd understand if you-"

Pressing her fingertips firmly against his lips, she effectively silenced him. It was her turn to speak what was in her heart. This afternoon, through all of the torment, she knew. This man had always loved her. Jacob was so much more to her than what anyone else could ever hope to be in her eyes... and right now, he needed her.

"I'm not going anywhere," she assured him. "I've understood from the start. Look, I get it. After today, I've seen it. I know that you could get killed out there, but that's not going to stop me from loving you or make me walk away. I'm not that selfish. I'm just sorry I didn't say it sooner. I fell in love with you the second you ran up to me on that stage. Maybe I loved you before that, I don't know. It doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that we're here now."

She wasn't trying to mitigate the situation by any stretch of the imagination. It was a simple truth. One that Bella needed to declare and Jacob needed to hear if they were going to move forward with their lives. Deep down, she knew he would always come back to her. That someday when this cursed war was over, they could have a life together. This war was only a roadblock. One that would eventually end, paving the way for years of happiness.

She was so earnest in speaking to him, so hopeful that he found himself daring to believe in her. Something about Bella always calmed and centered him. Having her nearby had proved that very fact. He'd felt the change almost immediately. A sort of lightness seemed to settle over him on the day she'd first arrived, leaving him to wonder just what he would do when their time together was up.

That was a question for another day though. They had tonight.

So, giving her his sunniest smile, Jacob lounged in his chair and chatted animatedly about the coming week. "Well, looks like our plane is going to be out of commission for awhile, so I'll have a little more free time to spend with you." He arched an eyebrow thoughtfully. "We should probably let Charlie know that you're gonna be here awhile so he doesn't worry. We could send him a telegram."

Bella turned white as a sheet at the thought. Telegrams had become more dreaded than disease. A cancer on the society of their small town in Washington. Not a week went by when she didn't hear the cries of a neighbor whose husband or son was reported missing in action or deceased.

"No Jake. No telegrams. Trust me, that's not a good idea. I'll see if I can arrange a call. Besides, I'm sure Billy will be with him and it'll do your father good to hear your voice. He misses you more than you know. We all do."

Noting the hint of sadness in her voice, Jacob resolved to make every minute that they had together count. Breakfast, lunch, dinner... he'd meet her for all of them. When Bella finished rounds for the day, he'd be waiting to walk her home. Whether it was just taking an evening stroll or a drive through the countryside, they would do it together. He refused to live one minute without her if there was any way to avoid it. Duty notwithstanding.

So, he purposefully dawdled, keeping her out far beyond the hour when they both should have been asleep. By the time they left the small pub, the place had emptied and the matron was upending chairs on the tables, broom on standby.

That night when he walked her to the door, Bella surprised Jacob by being the one to kiss him. Soft and sweet, full of warmth and understanding. It was then that he finally knew... she would never let him go.

*Note to readers. International phone cables were not laid until the 1950's. However, early in the 1920's, the first international radio transmitted telephone call was made from Rugby, England.


	10. Chapter 10

Hi Everyone!

Need You, Iris, Firefly and The Life & Times of Charlie Swan have all been nominated in The Fandom Choice Awards. Thank you so much for your nominations. Please check out the wonderful stories that are listed and then vote for your favorites.

Congratulations to my friends and wonderful reviewers who have been nominated.

Thank You,

Dragonfly76

www. fandomchoiceawards .com


	11. Chapter 11 - NEW CHAPTER!

**_First of all, thank you to everyone who nominated Firefly for Best Historical Drama in the Fandom Choice Awards. Please go vote! _**

**_Today is Pearl Harbor Day. I have been sitting on this chapter for some time and when I woke up, it seemed only fitting to put some spit and polish on it so that it could be posted. Huge thanks to Meliz for pinch hitting for me to catch glaring errors in this chapter, and to madmamabear for providing me with such wonderful comments and articles regarding the war from her own mother and personal friend. I can't say how much it means to me that they took the time and interest in this story to provide me with their own experiences._**

**_As always, on this day, I am eternally grateful for all the brave men and women that have given their all in order to protect my freedoms. We all owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude._**

**Chapter 10**

When Bella and Jacob walked into the familiar village pub their friends were anxiously awaiting their arrival. She was surprised to not just see Paul, Embry and Betty, but their entire flight crew. The couple had no more than gotten through the heavy oak door when a streak of blue and blond hurtled towards Bella, practically knocking her backward into Jacob's chest.

Betty grabbed her hand excitedly, holding her fingers and looking at the new ring. "Bella, I'm so excited for you! Wrapping her small arms around Bella's middle, Betty squeezed her tightly. "I can't believe Jake didn't tell me and Em what he was up to!"

A low tenor voice laughed behind them. "That's because neither of you can keep a secret to save your lives." Paul shook Jacob's hand. "Congrats, brother." Then he scooped Bella up into a sweet embrace. If anyone was genuinely happy for them, it was Paul. The brotherly love he felt in his heart swelled and overflowed with a profound intensity. To him, this small woman of compassion and grace was an angel. The gift of her friendship was something that he had always guarded as though it were a treasured possession.

Eyes twinkling with mirth, Paul smiled down at her, brushing away loose strands of hair from her blushing cheeks. "So, what's all this talk about marrying Jake? I thought you and I were gonna ride off into the sunset doll."

Unable to resist teasing in return, Bella grinned back, regarding him with genuine curiosity. After all, this man whom she had known all her life had been keeping secrets from her. "Well, I thought about it after Jake told me it was you who did that painting. When did you turn into Michelangelo?"

Turning beet red, Paul stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked down at the ground. It was a part of himself he had always kept secret until now. Back home, he probably would have been called a sissy if he sat around drawing pictures all day when the guys were off playing baseball. It just wasn't something a boy did. So, he joined the other kids at the swimming hole, helped build treehouses with the fella's and dug up worms for days of fishing; saving the softer side of himself for when he was alone at night, tucked safely under the covers of his bed with a flashlight and a pencil to sketch the lakes and woods on battered scraps of paper.

"Just something I thought I'd try," he replied humbly.

In truth, when Jake made the suggestion for the plan, he'd leapt at the chance, surprising everyone the very next day with a rough sketch. For over a week he'd worked on that painting from sunup until sundown, determined to do the slip of a girl who held all of their hearts justice. Bella wasn't just Jake's girl. She belonged to all of them. Even the men who had never laid eyes on her until three weeks ago were enamored with her innate goodness and easy charm. The day of the crash, she had shown them all the true measure of bravery. For that alone, she deserved a medal of honor. This small homage was the closest they could come to such a thing.

Being Bella, she read the thoughts on Paul's face like a book and hugged him fiercely, full of love and gratefulness for all the boys who figured so largely in her life. "Thank you, Paul," she whispered. Then, as she often did those days, said a silent prayer to the heavens above for his safety through this terrible war. There was so much more to Paul than most would ever know. Bella hoped that one day soon a woman would walk into his life. One who would be able to see the full measure of love and generosity which dwelled within his heart and love him deeply for it

"Come on, move outta the way. Injured man coming through." Pushing his bulky figure past Paul, Embry stood face to face with Jake and Bella. If weren't for the fact that she knew him so well, Bella would have sworn he was actually in a lather. The twinkle in his eye and the little upturned corner of his mouth- which he was trying desperately to control- betrayed him, telling her and everyone else otherwise.

"So, you thought you could just up and propose without telling me? I had to hear it second hand from this goof." Embry stared at Jacob through a mask of furor, jerking a thumb in Paul's direction.

Standing just behind him, Betty could hardly contain her laughter over Embry's foolishness. "Alright, lemme see the handcuff." When Bella dangled her left hand impishly before his eyes, he snatched it, whistling low and long. "Looks like the Real McCoy." Shaking his head in sorrow, he turned his attention back on Jake. "Well, I dunno what to say, except for maybe... I told you so!" With that, he pulled Bella into a tight one armed hug, wincing slightly when her own shoulder jammed into his still injured one.

The next ten minutes were a flurry of good wishes and hearty pats on the back by the enlisted men of the outfit as well as a couple of officers from the base. Most of them apologized profusely, saying they couldn't stay long and really, they knew in their hearts it was a time for old friends to be together. Their presence was not an intrusion, but it simply unimportant in the grand scheme of things. So after a round of drinks, most departed with more hugs and one last toast to the young couple for a happy life.

Eventually the rest wandered away to other tables, smoking and making small talk with the locals. When it was down to the five of them, Ruby, the woman who ran the place, made her way over to their table to join them, bringing with her an old dusty bottle of wine that bore a faded, peeling French label. "To celebrate your engagement," she explained, surprising even Jacob by bending down to give him a soft kiss on the cheek before pouring each a drink in cloudy, chipped glasses.

After yet another toast to health and happiness, Paul leaned backward in his chair, tipping the legs, lounging like he owned the place. "So, what say Jake? When's the big day? You guys gonna wait until we all get back to Washington to tie the knot?"

Bella smiled at him from over the rim of her glass. "Actually, no. We'd like to get married before I have to leave."

"Who are you going to have do it? The chaplain or one of the officers?" asked Embry.

"I don't know yet," admitted Jacob. Over the past week, the only thing he could think about was popping the question and praying she'd say yes. Details about when, where and how had not even entered his mind. "I'd really like for it to be done by a minister."

Ruby cleared her throat and pointed at an elderly gentleman who sat in one of the corner tables, drinking a whiskey and reading The London Times. "You see that man over there? He's my cousin. Father Patrick's his name. You go talk to him. He'll marry you," she stated, as though if refused, the man would have her to answer to.

"No time like the present." Jacob kissed Bella on the cheek and left the table to discuss their pending nuptials with the doddering gray-haired priest. He was going to marry his best girl and nothing would stop them.

A sudden silence descended over the table. Embry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, fiddling with the sling on his shoulder. "Hey, can we get a couple more beers?" he asked.

Ruby looked around the half empty bar. "You boys go help yourselves," she told them. "I want to talk to Bella," she stated, leaving the latter rather mystified. She didn't know the matronly woman very well, and though Ruby was always kind to her, she was certainly much warmer to Jake when they came to the pub.

When the boys had gone behind the bar to help themselves, Ruby poured the girls some more wine. "I was was married once," she confessed. "Younger than you, even, but I loved him so."

The older woman pulled a heavy old locket out from under the folds of her stained apron. Unclasping the chain, she opened the large burnished oval to reveal a handsome young man with merry eyes and a winsome smile. "This was my David."

Ruby gazed at the picture with tears glistening her eyes. "He died in the first great war. Nineteen-fourteen at Ypres. I remember like it was yesterday. We waited and waited for the news. When the battle started, I knew in my heart something wasn't right. Now, he's buried somewhere beneath Flander's Field."

Bella studied the small picture of the man whose blood had watered the grass and stained the poppies red with violence that year. Like so many others, David was destined to never come home to his sweetheart. Opposite his picture was another of a pretty young girl with flowers pinned between waves of hair and bow shaped lips smiling dreamily at the camera.

"...and the girl? This is you?" asked Betty, trying and failing to conceal her surprise. It was difficult to reconcile the life-worn woman before them with the sweet young girl in the picture. Even more shocking was the resemblance between David and Paul. Betty wondered if Bella had even noticed.

Ruby chuckled throatily. "Don't look so surprised. Even us old ladies had a bit of romance once upon a time. That was taken on our wedding day."

The older woman rose from her chair, her bones protesting for all the world to hear. "Come with me, both of you," she asked. "There's something I'd like to share with you."

From where he was across the room, Jacob's eyes followed them and Ruby did not fail to notice this. She could recall how her own husband used to watch and protect her. Yes, Jacob Black was much like her David was. From the first day he had set foot in her place, she saw in him the same gentleness beneath the soldier's swagger. As they passed, she patted him on the shoulder in understanding. "Don't worry. I just want to show Bella something," she assured him, "I'll bring her back to you." Now, it seemed like fate had brought the young man into her place.

The girls followed her curiously through a narrow doorway on the side of the old oak bar, then up a steep staircase that creaked and groaned under Ruby's weight as she lumbered upward to another doorway, its old wood scarred and illuminated by a single, bare light bulb.

Pulling a heavy key from her apron pocket, Ruby placed it in the old lock. Leaning one hip against the door she gave it a nudge while she jiggled the handle. The rusty hinges protested but gave way to reveal a brightly lit, cheery apartment.

It was as if they stepped into another world. Creamy yellow walls with white trim stood out in sharp contrast to the dark atmosphere of the pub below. Photographs covered every surface. Moments in time caught through the lens of a camera. But, Ruby did not allow them to linger. She led them into a bedroom, where soft pink flowers blooming on delicate green vines covered the walls like a spring garden. Between two tall windows sat a white iron bed adorned with seashells and graceful swirls. At its base rested an old cedar trunk, in which was stored the girlish dreams of yesteryear, a store of hopes tucked away, never to be opened again.

Lifting its lid, Ruby extracted a large white box, then placed it almost reverently atop the bed. Opening the box with work-worn hands, she parted the linen wrappings to reveal an exquisite dress made of white organdy, covered with lace that Bella's fingers itched to touch.

"This was mine," she whispered. "I wore it on the day I married my David."

The girls each stood beside her, Betty, for once, rendered completely speechless. Noticing the glimmer of tears in her eyes, she slipped a young arm around the aging woman who seemed lost in thought, her mind lingering on dreams from what seemed like a thousand years ago. "I saved all of my butter and egg money to buy the lace. My mother and I worked for months sewing it." Ruby lifted the wedding gown from its soft wrappings. Beneath it was hidden an exquisite veil, the thin mist of it dotted with tiny silver flowers. "See the embroidery? Mother was good with a needle."

Bella was awed. The dress was possibly one of the prettiest things she had ever seen. Real Brussels lace adorned the wedding gown, falling softly over its delicate organdy folds.

"Do you like it?" Ruby asked, her voice sounding a much like a shy young woman looking for approval.

"It's beautiful," breathed Bella, her fingers skimming over the soft lace with reverence, thinking of the many hours of painstaking work that must have been done to create it. "I can't believe you made this yourself. This has to be the prettiest gown I've ever seen."

Ruby's lips broadened into a wide smile. "You try it on. See if it fits."

Bella's eyes sprang open wide with surprise. This was something that she would have never expected in a million years. "No, I couldn't."

Yet Ruby just smiled and placed the dress in her arms, directing her to the corner of the room where an old Japanese screen divided out a small dressing area. "Just try," she stated, leaving no room for argument.

Behind the screen, Bella shed her practical cotton dress for the lovely gown. When she emerged a few moments later, Ruby smiled wistfully and turned the oval bedroom mirror to face her.

The woman who peered back at her in the mirrors reflection practically radiated happiness. Creamy white skin glowed slightly from spending too much time outdoors, setting off the white of the lace that fell loosely just beneath her bare shoulders. Tiny wide-set sleeves danced gracefully just above the elbows. A short train swept behind her, a waterfall of beautifully stitched flowers over the soft fabric folds. Staring at herself in the mirror, Bella realized how wrong she had been. This gown wasn't beautiful. It was exquisite.

Ruby stood behind her, gazing at her own much older reflection wistfully in the mirror, almost lost in another time. One in which she was young and beautiful again, waiting to marry the soldier she loved. "Would you like to wear it for your wedding?" she asked.

Bella's fingers stopped where they had been skimming the lace and satin trim across the low neckline of the dress. She gasped in surprise at the grandness of the offer and shook her head. "Oh, Ruby, I couldn't. It's too much."

The older woman smiled at her gently, placing the embroidered veil atop her rich curls. "Yes you can. I have no daughters to pass it on to," she explained, her work-worn hands adjusting the filmy mist. Ruby's eyes were bright with unshed tears, each one a wish, a hope or dream that had never come to be. "Maybe one day you will. I want you to have it."

When Bella emerged twenty minutes later with a giant box in her hands smiling like she had just single-handedly won the war, Jacob regarded both her and the box with childish curiosity. He tried to open the lid, but Ruby smacked his hand away. "Don't you dare. It's bad luck."

"Well, what's in there?" he asked, showing off his best puppy dog eyes as if he was a boy begging a treat from his mother. But Ruby wagged her finger at him with a toothy smile. "Never you mind. That's a secret between us girls. You'll find out soon enough."

Jacob looked at Bella a little apprehensively. "I spoke with Father Patrick. He said he'll be glad to marry us. He's uh, available on Thursday." It was all happening so fast. He hoped it wouldn't be too fast for Bella.

To his immense relief, she smiled at him with resolution in her eyes. "I'd like that. What time?" she asked, already calculating how long it would take for Betty do her hair.

Clutching the hand of his girl gratefully, Jacob could feel the cool metal press beneath his fingers. She was really his. He breathed a long sigh of relief. "Noon. I'll see about getting the men the day off so they can all come."

They'd never discussed who they'd like to have witness their marriage, but once again, Jacob had read the wishes of her heart as effortlessly as if it were his own. "Will it be at the church?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I thought maybe by the fountain in the village square would be nice," he suggested.

Bella nodded in approval, remembering the small children who played by the water the first day he brought her to the village. Perhaps if some of the little girls were there they could toss petals. She made a mental note to ask Ruby about them. Something told her there wasn't much that went on in the village without her knowledge. Her mind continued on a course of plans while Betty prattled away to Jacob about other things that needed to be done.

"...and you'll need to think about what you want to eat after, and oh! Where are you going to stay? You can't be on the base!"

Ruby's voice cut Betty off, shaking Bella from her thoughts. "You all come here after. I'll fix you lunch."

Jacob eyed her warily, not certain if the woman realized what she was volunteering for. "Are you sure? There's going to be around twenty of us by the time I invite the officers and it'll be lunchtime here. I don't wanna impose or put you through extra work."

"No. This is my gift to you she explained." Her eyes glanced over the dwindling patrons of the room, landing on Paul and Embry who were lounging behind the bar, pulling drinks for the few stragglers who had wandered in. Ruby leaned over, whispering conspiratorially in Bella's ear. "Your friend Paul, he looks like my David. Bring him with you more. I'll cook something special for him. Maybe find him a nice girl to settle down with."


End file.
